Seniors’ pleas fall on deaf ears

The Springs Advertiser took the onus to write stories, good and bad, to aid Springs residents in making better voting decisions as the elections draw closer.

One concern highlighted this week is in Wright Park because the Qhubeka Phambili Community Development organisation and its members have lost all hope in attaining a community hall.

The organisation writes:
We, the senior citizens of Wright Park, applied for the building of a community hall in our area. We met and exercised at the New Era station under the taxi shelters because the station was not used anymore.

Now, as the train stations are under renovation, a family offered their house for us to use for the senior citizens’ meetings and other activities we do.

Community meetings with the ward councillor happen at the public park, and when it rains, the meeting must be postponed.

We submitted our request through the integrated development plan (IDP) for the building of a recreational/community hall in 2021 and only received an acknowledgement of receipt email. That was all until today.

We were not considered for three years, even though we faithfully pay our dues monthly. Our councillor is aware of this. Maybe we are just cows that have to be milked but not fed.

We were told Ward 74 was not included in the budget for the IDP of Springs. We have also written to countless officials, all the MMCs and all the mayors, but to no avail. We are just met with silence.

We therefore implore our officials to consider us as a community.

• Residents are encouraged to participate in the Springs Advertiser’s Tick the Right Box series. Help us help you by reporting what happens in your part of town, whether it’s to praise or to raise concerns. Email your story along with pictures and videos to keas@caxton.co.za