Buffalo City Metro has softened its stance on closing East London’s popular hangout spot Ebuhlanti from this Monday to December 9.
Following an outcry from scores of women who make a living from braaiing meat there as well as fans of the park, the metro has decided to close off one section at a time.
This will allow residents and vendors to have fun and braai on one side while the other half of the park is being spruced up.
The decision was taken at a meeting of city managers on Tuesday.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said the metro needed to do minor upgrades so as to make the place habitable during the festive season.
“We aim to unblock the storm water pipes and improve traffic mobility so that people can enjoy the facility better,” he explained.
“We will have different companies working at once so as to complete the upgrades by the first week of December. BCM apologises for any inconvenience this might cause.”
Vendors and Buffalo City residents had complained after acting city manager Nceba Ncunyana published a notice about the closure last Friday.
He had listed alternative areas like Water World near the race track, Mauritius opposite Ebuhlanti and the open area bordered by John Bailey and Buffalo Park Drive .
But police had warned revellers going there to be careful there as the incidence of crime is high.
Other improvements planned for Ebuhlanti include extra floodlights, refuse bins and water taps, fixing existing ablution facilities and shaping and regravelling the road.
When the Dispatch visited the area yesterday the gates were still open and vendors were busy as usual. BCM workers were cleaning the open space next to the hotel.
Vendor Nancy Gatyana, 70, was relieved at the news.
“Closing off a portion at a time would be much better than closing off the whole place so that we can still feed our families,” she said.
But vendor Nobria Lamati wished they could move the revamp to another time of year as the festive season was the best time for them to make money. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
BCM backs off on total Ebuhlanti shutdown
Following an outcry from scores of women who make a living from braaiing meat there as well as fans of the park, the metro has decided to close off one section at a time.
This will allow residents and vendors to have fun and braai on one side while the other half of the park is being spruced up.
The decision was taken at a meeting of city managers on Tuesday.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said the metro needed to do minor upgrades so as to make the place habitable during the festive season.
“We aim to unblock the storm water pipes and improve traffic mobility so that people can enjoy the facility better,” he explained.
“We will have different companies working at once so as to complete the upgrades by the first week of December. BCM apologises for any inconvenience this might cause.”
Vendors and Buffalo City residents had complained after acting city manager Nceba Ncunyana published a notice about the closure last Friday.
He had listed alternative areas like Water World near the race track, Mauritius opposite Ebuhlanti and the open area bordered by John Bailey and Buffalo Park Drive .
But police had warned revellers going there to be careful there as the incidence of crime is high.
Other improvements planned for Ebuhlanti include extra floodlights, refuse bins and water taps, fixing existing ablution facilities and shaping and regravelling the road.
When the Dispatch visited the area yesterday the gates were still open and vendors were busy as usual. BCM workers were cleaning the open space next to the hotel.
Vendor Nancy Gatyana, 70, was relieved at the news.
“Closing off a portion at a time would be much better than closing off the whole place so that we can still feed our families,” she said.
But vendor Nobria Lamati wished they could move the revamp to another time of year as the festive season was the best time for them to make money. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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