Tshwane has stressed that the delay in completing the restoration of the spruit and wetland at Jimmy Aves Park in Garsfontein is due to squatters still using the park even after they were warned to vacate the area.
According to Ward 45 councillor Elizabeth Basson, there has been a lot of dumping materials such as cooking oil and environmental degradation at the park which strained the rehabilitation effort.
“Currently, the park is supposed to be closed to everyone for rehabilitation, but locks are broken and fences are damaged as some of the squatters that were moved out of the park and now reside on the pavement outside the park,” said Basson.
Basson said the squatters are still frequenting the park to bathe, relieve themselves and do their washing and cooking.
She said she has been working closely with the Parks Department, TMPD as well as the Tshwane and provincial social development departments to restore and get the park up to standard. However, the squatting hinders that process.
She added that previous attempts to relocate the squatters have been unsuccessful.
“The result is that all efforts to rehabilitate the side of the park where the spruit and wetland are located have not yet yielded the necessary results.
We will continue to work with the necessary departments as this issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible,” she said.
“Rate paying residents and businesses really suffer due to the apparent inability of the city to successfully resolve this continuing squatting problem.”
The park in the east of Pretoria had faced years of neglect, tarnished by vagrancy, and open defecation.
According to metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, the squatters need to be relocated through the intervention of joint relevant stakeholders.
“We had a few unsuccessful interventions as most of the squatters refuse to be relocated, stating they work in the area and use the park as a home. Should we open the park, the park will go back to its former state.”
At this stage, it is unclear how long the park will be closed to the public as it was supposed to be rehabilitated and operational before the end of 2024.
Vagrancy at the park had caused an outcry and the community flagged ecological damage, safety, littering and drastic deterioration as its concerns.
The park was described as once beautiful with a stream, tennis court, pedestrian walk, and area for walking dogs.
Mashigo said the park is still closed for rehabilitation.
“The delay in completing the restoration and refurbishment work is due to squatters still using the park even after warning to vacate and this rehabilitation could not be executed,” said Mashigo.
“Due to squatters residing in the park and using it as an ablution facility, it contaminated the stream of water.”
Mashigo said in the meantime the tennis area at Jimmy Aves and the parks in Vercuiel Street, Garsfontein and the corner of Garsfontein Road and Anton von Wouw Street, Waterkloof Glen can be used.
He said a plan was also in place for the grass.
“The plan includes grass cutting, eradication of invader plants, treatment of human waste and cooking oil along the stream and tennis courts.”
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