The Field and Study Centre in Parkmore, which is a location for dog-walkers, children and nature-lovers is facing a huge problem.
Unfortunately, the embankment of the Braamfontein Spruit, that runs through the park, has eroded so severely that a massive hole has been created. Rose Johnson of Friends of the Field and Study (FOFS) is extremely concerned and she stressed, “Look where the bank is now! Every time there is rainfall, a bit more of the bank is eroded. It [the embankment] has moved back at least five metres in the past 20 years that I have been working at Field and Study.”
She stated that she has been trying to solve the problem for about five years and has liaised with numerous authorities in an attempt to resolve the issue. “Nobody has taken even the slightest notice. [City] Parks was here and they let me know that this is a JRA [Johannesburg Road’s Agency] issue.”
The roads agency’s spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers explained, “JRA has commissioned a study on the state of the spruit and the steps required to improve the natural habitat and surrounding infrastructure. We anticipate that the study, which is due for completion over the next few months, will contain far-reaching recommendations and actions by the [agency] to restore the habitat and the measures required to combat future erosion and degradation.”
Johannesburg was recently hit by heavy rainfall. Johnson said that the embankment became so flooded that the hole was completely filled with water. She further added that such heavy rainfalls will inevitably continue to cause more and more erosion of the the embankment.
“This erosion poses a safety threat. What if a child falls in there? It is such a deep hole and dogs could also fall in there. Many people love walking along this route [next to the spruit] and this spot is a favourite for those who enjoy the Field and Study but this erosion has created such an ugly mess. The recent flood has dragged concrete slabs and rubbish into the hole and if someone falls in here they will get severely hurt!”
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When the Sandton Chronicle visited the site of this massive hole, it was filled with everything from discarded shoes to dead trees and plastic. To make matters worse, there is a sewage pipe which is now exposed as a result of the erosion and Johnson stressed that she is concerned about the damage that the erosion could do to this sewerage system.
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