Our Story
2018
In 2018, with the then ward councillor, approved the building of a traditional Cape Dutch-style farm boundary wall around the park, painted in white. The City of Cape Town (CoCT) had appointed a contractor to construct the wall and pave the pathways within the park.
Upon completion, the inferior craftsmanship became apparent, with plaster soon falling off the wall. Despite notifying the City of Cape Town (CoCT) about the wall’s condition and the substandard craftsmanship, no action was taken, despite the contractor being fully compensated. Despite assurances from the CoCT that the contractor would address the issue, no progress was made.
2019
Now, we had a park adorned with a beautiful wall and flowerbeds but lacked irrigation and grass, with only layers of thorns. One Saturday morning, during one of my walks, I encountered a parent tending to their crying child’s knees and feet, picking out thorns after a fall from the swing. Witnessing this, I resolved to address the issue through the then-ward councillor.
2020a
During the year of COVID-19, as residents were confined to their homes and social distancing measures were in place, the park further deteriorated. Thorns overtook the pathways, and dune moles wreaked havoc beneath the paving. To mitigate the damage, I began tackling the dune mole issue by strategically placing phostoxin in their burrows, driving them out of the park in an effort to preserve the paving.
2020b
Despite various excuses, public pressure persisted, asserting that our park should be a place for play, not overrun with thorns. In early 2020, I received information that grass would be installed, along with the irrigation system being fixed. Groenvlei Gras was the contractor responsible for the project, and they executed their tasks with professionalism and excellence, from the meticulous preparation to the final touches. Take a look at the gallery to fully grasp the extent of the project.
2021
Upon the lawn’s completion in 2020 and considering the significant capital expenditure funded by municipal taxpayers, one would reasonably expect that the investment would be diligently maintained to safeguard the asset. This maintenance is not only crucial for protecting the asset itself but also for honouring the contributions of municipal taxpayers. However, the current state of disrepair begs the question: Who will be held accountable and accept responsibility for this neglect? Whom should we, as municipal taxpayers, hold accountable if this investment turns out to be wasteful and fruitless expenditure?
2022 - To Date
In 2023, a green, high-quality fence with two gates was erected in front of the traditional Cape Dutch-style farm boundary wall constructed in 2018. The proximity of the fence to the wall raises concerns about the feasibility of future painting and maintenance. It begs the question: Will there be any further maintenance of the wall? If future maintenance becomes impossible, whom should we, as municipal taxpayers, hold accountable if this investment proves to be wasteful and fruitless expenditure?
Talk to us
Have any questions? We are always open to talk about our community collectively.