Three new parks in Makana that are still under construction are becoming easy prey for vandals, and have lain dormant for the past two months because of payment delays from the national Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
The Makana Greening Project, that is responsible for the construction of Sani Park, Zion Dam Park, Phumlani Recreational Park (all in Joza) and Emthonjeni (the Fairview Spring), cannot move forward until the DEA approves more funding for the multi-million Rand project.
The project's manager, Thando Bili of Africaost Engineering, said the project has created 79 jobs, and so far Sani Park is the only site that is complete, although not yet open to the public.
He emphasised that the delay was not the fault of Makana Municipality or Africaost Engineers. He explained that initially the project was supposed to be finished in March this year, but the completion date was extended to December 2011, and they applied for an additional cash injection from the DEA.
"We were forced to suspend work in all the sites because we didn't have money to carry on with the work," said Bili.
"They [DEA] promised to solve the problem before the end of November this year, so we will resume work as soon as we receive the money." He told Grocott's Mail that they will extend the finishing date to the end of March 2012 in consideration of rain.
Other than the inconvenience of not being able to work, Bili said that the main disadvantage they face at the moment is people vandalising the parks. "For example, at Phumlani Park a fence has been cut using pliers, and that makes it easy for children to go inside and play in the unfinished equipment," he said.
He urged residents to look after these parks, as they belong to them and not the municipality.
Three new parks in Makana that are still under construction are becoming easy prey for vandals, and have lain dormant for the past two months because of payment delays from the national Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
The Makana Greening Project, that is responsible for the construction of Sani Park, Zion Dam Park, Phumlani Recreational Park (all in Joza) and Emthonjeni (the Fairview Spring), cannot move forward until the DEA approves more funding for the multi-million Rand project.
The project's manager, Thando Bili of Africaost Engineering, said the project has created 79 jobs, and so far Sani Park is the only site that is complete, although not yet open to the public.
He emphasised that the delay was not the fault of Makana Municipality or Africaost Engineers. He explained that initially the project was supposed to be finished in March this year, but the completion date was extended to December 2011, and they applied for an additional cash injection from the DEA.
"We were forced to suspend work in all the sites because we didn't have money to carry on with the work," said Bili.
"They [DEA] promised to solve the problem before the end of November this year, so we will resume work as soon as we receive the money." He told Grocott's Mail that they will extend the finishing date to the end of March 2012 in consideration of rain.
Other than the inconvenience of not being able to work, Bili said that the main disadvantage they face at the moment is people vandalising the parks. "For example, at Phumlani Park a fence has been cut using pliers, and that makes it easy for children to go inside and play in the unfinished equipment," he said.
He urged residents to look after these parks, as they belong to them and not the municipality.
