A NEGLECTED, unkempt netball court, dilapidating outdoor gym facilities and overgrown grass.
These are only some of the challenges that senior citizens from the Varsvlei Senior Citizen Club are faced with during their regular health and wellness programme activities at the Varsvlei Community Park.
Chairperson of the club, Desiré du Plessis, is concerned that these elderly men and women, who use the park twice a week, could be injured if they have to perform fitness activities at the park.
“They have had to move their activities from the Go Green Gym to the netball court for fear of injuries but the grass is overgrown on the netball court and that presents a hazard where our senior citizens can be injured if they stumble or their feet are caught between the grass overgrowth.
“This is what our senior citizens encounter on a weekly basis,” Du Plessis explained.
“This is the only suitable park that can be used in the area.”
Du Plessis said that they had reported these issues to the Park Division in October last year and met with an official from this department in Kariega.
“We were told that a contractor has been appointed to maintain the park area but there was a technical problem with the financials of the contractor.
“What is difficult to understand is how contracts are issued and their documents are not in order.
“We were also told that they would spray the grass between the cement slabs on the netball court but this has not happened either.
“We have [recently] cleared the area ourselves,” she said.
“We have approached the Parks Department unit in Varsvlei, next to the swimming pool, to collect the bags that were filled with grass, only to be informed that the only vehicle they have is not available as the vehicle does not have a battery.
“Basically, the department is dysfunctional or the contractor is not maintaining the park according to the contract signed.”
Du Plessis added that they eventually had to carry the black bags that they had provided themselves, filled with grass, to an area where they could be collected. “This is disconcerting as the seniors of our club range from 60 to 74 years old.
“These are the seniors who assisted with the cleaning of the netball court.
“How do we justify that our seniors had to engage in hard manual labour while there is a contractor that has been contracted to clean and maintain the park?
“I trust that the relevant departments will re-evaluate and sort out their contracts and employ residents living in the suburbs to maintain the park themselves,” Du Plessis said.
“Our senior citizens should be able to use facilities that are hazard-free without the threat or risk of danger by tripping over the grass or their feet caught in between the grass or even stumbling as they walk.
“I trust that the Parks Department will take note of this and become proactive before somebody breaks a leg, arm or hip, and see to it that the area is maintained and kept in a good condition.”
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality spokesperson, Mamela Ndamase, said that in terms of maintenance, the grass mowing contractor will be on site before the end of this week.
“With regard to the outdoor equipment, the public health directorate will attend to it,” she added.
