LOOK: Pretoria residents clean up neglected street corner
Pretoria residents took matters into their own hands to clean up a neglected street corner.
The corner of Jan van Riebeeck Street and Brits Road in Pretoria North has been left to deteriorate for months, becoming an eyesore in the community.
Fed up with the inaction of the property owner and the municipality, residents decided to take matters into their own hands.
Breakfast with Martin Bester praised the community members for this initiative, saying that sometimes the reality is that South African residents have to take matters into their own hands.
According to Rekord, residents who live near the unsightly corner of Jan van Riebeeck Street and Brits Road worked together to clean up the area, which was overgrown and full of litter.
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This reportedly came after numerous complaints from the ward councillor and residents.
Ward 2 councillor Quentin Meyer confirmed that the property itself belongs to a private individual, while the areas outside the boundary were meant to be maintained by the municipality.
"I have requested several times that the owner clean the stand. Unfortunately, with no success," Meyer said.
"The areas outside the boundary fall under the Tshwane metro, and despite multiple requests to clean their portion, there has also been no response."
The area was quickly deteriorating and, apart from being a horrendous sight, it also started to pose potential health risks.
Meyer said the clean-up initiative was a powerful example of community pride and responsibility.
"Yes, the municipality is responsible for certain areas, and yes, each property owner is responsible for their own property."
"But when it doesn't happen, our community suffers. Instead of waiting any longer, the residents stepped up and took action. For that, I want to say thank you and well done," he said.
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"This is a wonderful initiative, and I am extremely proud of these residents. I want to encourage more residents to follow this example."
"If the area outside your property is untidy, please clean it where you can. Look after your surroundings, take pride in your area, and help keep our community clean and dignified."
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Images: Rekord