The civil rights organisation AfriForum on 23 July 2020 directed a letter to the Tshwane Metro regarding the state of the Montague Kneen Park in Valhalla, Centurion, after community members and other role-players approached the organisation for assistance. Building rubble and tyres have already illegally been dumped in the park for several months. The organisation has granted the Metro until 30 July 2020 to present an action plan to prevent the fires and dumping in the park.
The tyres being dumped in the park are also being set alight which causes severe black smoke and presents safety hazards to residents in the area. Without the necessary control and supervision, various types of refuse are now being dumped in the park and it subsequently creates an unbearable stench for the nearby residents. Illegal structures were also erected in the park, which further contributes to safety hazards. The stacked refuse and tyres make it nearly impossible to round up criminals in the area seeing as vehicles are unable to follow them when they flee into the park.
AfriForum is making an urgent plea to the Metro to find solutions to these problems, as well as to present its plan with regards to how these problems will be dealt with in future.
“It is shocking that the Metro can allow that refuse and tyres are being dumped in the park. AfriForum will do everything in its ability to ensure that the problem is solved and that the park receives the necessary attention to prevent the same problems being repeated in the future,” says Jp Nel, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Greater Pretoria.
“AfriForum will continue placing pressure on the Metro so that the appropriate by-laws will be upheld. We will proceed to support communities and together work on solutions,” says Sampie Steinberg, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Greater Pretoria.
AfriForum’s Centurion branch invites the community to become involved with the branch’s future projects and campaigns. Join AfriForum and become part of the solution: SMS your name to 45341 (R1).
