Municipal inertia

The Witness: "Municipal inertia"
OUR neighbours go a long way towards keeping Pietermaritzburg neat and tidy. We sweep and weed our gutters (I’ve never seen the municipality do this) and cut and clean our verges. There is commendable co-operation in this initiative.

My problem is the municipal park bounded by Morcom, Jan Hofmeyr and Patrick Duncan roads. Casual visitors use it as a rubbish bin. Building rubble and garden refuse have also been dumped there.

Our first official initiative was written in August 2008. We requested the erection of three “dumping prohibited” signs that would give us the legal right to report offenders to the police. We also wanted three municipal rubbish bins and the assurance that they would be emptied on a weekly basis. Nothing has happened.

As ratepayers, we also expect the regular cutting and removal of grass as in a real park used for walking, running and playing sport. At the moment, there are at least eight piles of branches, but I am informed that Parks and Recreation staff do not have a truck available. Is it true that there is an executive order that the long grass left by the tractor mowers is not to be removed?

Residents of Pietermaritzburg want to help the municipality keep our city clean. What can the municipal manager and his colleagues do to assist this initiative?

TONY CUBBIN
Rushbrook, Pietermaritzburg