Parks pole protection has positive effect

CITY residents have welcomed the uMhlathuze Municipality’s initiative of protecting public parks and open spaces – one pole at a time.

After receiving numerous complaints from suburban residents that parks in their area are being abused, poles have been put up around certain parks to restrict vehicle entry. Residents are blaming this abuse on the local trend of ‘park and party’, which is usually accompanied by littering, loud music and alcohol abuse.

‘The purpose of the poles is to prevent illegal events from taking place in our recreational spaces, such as the dumping of waste and holding races.

This will also ensure the safety of children as some people tend to execute ‘doughnuts’ with their vehicles in their presence,’ says Head of Environmental and

Recreation Section of the City of uMhlathuze, Ernst van Biljon.

According to Van Biljon, the Durnford and Addison parks have been a success.

Mandy Cito, a resident near the Coral Tree Street park, commended the municipality for doing something, but believes more can be done .

‘They still need to take put up poles at our park and take care of the other aspects such as benches, dustbins and signs informing people of the by-laws,’ says Cito.

Unfortunately the City of uMhlathuze hasn’t budgeted for this project and is only installing poles in areas where a ‘string of complaints’ have been lodged.

‘We will monitor the public parks and open spaces and see how things go before heading to other parks,’ said Van Biljon.

Visiting some parks on Wednesday afternoon, the Zululand Observer found the parks without poles in a poor state.

Empty alcohol bottles and used condoms are visible around the swings.

This is not only an eyesore, but environmentally unhealthy too.

The municipality is currently finalising plans for a new park and skate park in eSikhaleni, which is due later this year.

Hopefully these safety measures will be utilised at the new recreational facilities.