Even though municipal entities are entrusted with specific obligations, the best way to attain the desired results is often to roll up one’s own sleeves.
Lionel Gafney, a Discovery resident since childhood and a member of the Discovery Community Forum since he finished school, grew tired of the inaction of the body responsible for maintaining the verges and centre medians in the area. Lionel pulled together a few concerned residents and as a unit they trimmed the verges along Anstruther Street and Honeyball Avenue on Friday, 8 January.
Out of his own pocket, Lionel arranged the petrol-powered weedwacker from a friend in Krugersdorp and wasted no time in tackling the knee-high vegetation. Local humanitarian tornado, Lee Lerm, provided the lawnmower while Lido Supermarket linked together multiple extension cords to supply power for the spinning blades.
Apcan Security kept the community’s amateur gardeners safe as several of their patrollers were on hand to discourage any would-be opportunists. Lionel had made several attempts over the past months to get the verges cleaned by following the correct channels, but his requests fell on deaf ears. Leading by example, Lionel stressed, “If the community does not take charge then who will?”
