Heavy rains cause environmental hazards for Willow Way residents
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos commits to tackling alien invasive plants wreaking havoc at a local complex.
Weltevreden Park — Willow Way complex has faced a trail of decay after numerous attempts to address a possible hazard that continues to be ignored.
On April 3, Roodepoort Northsider journalists visited the complex and took a walk along the trail located behind the complex, opposite the Klein Jukskei River.
According to complex trustee Monica van Noordwyk, in 2020, she started noticing the trail slowly deteriorating from water erosion, followed by the gabions placed to control the flow of water collapsing into the river each time the heavy rains cause flooding.
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Willow Way, like many other complexes, has suffered the consequences of saturated wetlands because of alien invasive plants, which have posed a threat to residents and workers.
The heavy rains have had a significant impact on the river banks across the entire catchment area, leading to environmental deterioration.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos (JPCZ) spokesperson Jenny Moodley explained that as per the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act requirements, JPCZ is committed to removing categorised alien invasive species from natural greenbelt areas and catchment areas.
“Our environmental conservation department conducts quarterly maintenance in these areas across all seven regions, although this is limited due to financial and human resource constraints.
“In areas not scheduled for regular maintenance, our team responds to customer complaints on an emergency basis.
“Our teams utilise a range of equipment when removing invasive alien plants. However, this year has proven particularly challenging due to the high levels and frequency of rains, which have contributed to the growth and spread of alien invasive species across the region,” Moodley added.
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“This issue is worsened by developments within the wetlands and near water bodies, posing a concern for wildlife and water quality.
JPCZ, however, remains committed to managing the issue of alien invasive plants through regular maintenance and responding to complaints.
“We will organise an inspection at Willow Way complex to tackle the issue despite our need for increased resources and support,” Moodley says.
