The three main issues facing ward 18 are sewage leaks into the Nahoon and Ihlanza rivers, the condition of roads in the area, and illegal business trading and the signage with it.
This is according to the ward’s newly-elected councillor Jason McDowell.
Ward 18 includes the areas of Vincent, Bunkers Hill, Nahoon Beach, Bonnie Doon and Woodleigh.
McDowell, who has been on the ward’s committee for two years and has lived in the area for 40 years, said sewage seeping into the Nahoon and Ihlanza rivers is responsible for the uptick in closures of the Nahoon Beach, which have become more common in recent weeks. He said in the last two to three weeks the popular beach had been closed about five times, often in the week. Yesterday the all too familiar ‘Do Not Swim’ sign was again stuck in the sand close to the Nahoon Lifesaver’s Shack.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said: “The beach is closed as a precaution due to load-shedding by Eskom.”
East London Museum scientist Kevin Cole said when the sewage reclamation works don’t have power they don’t have full use of the pumps. This means the sewage is not treated properly, causing higher than usual Ecoli levels in the water.
Diamond said there was a 72-hour turnaround on samples collected from the beach, the results of which would indicate whether the beach was safe.
Cole added that pollution of both the Nahoon and Inhlanza rivers has been an issue for almost two decades. The causes are an increase in population and subsequent housing demands, and an antiquated sewerage system.
In a further worry for residents, vagrants, who keep overnighting in the reserve, are believed to have left a fire burning in the dry, twig-and-leaf covered dune forest floor in the dune above Nahoon beach about 200m uphill from Ihlanza river on a blustery Saturday.
The Dispatch was present at 9am when BCM surf lifesaver Andrew Mills, 32, lugged a 20-litre water cannister up to where the fire had crept three metres from the trail through the dense forest floor and was heading uphill. He used sand and water to contain the smouldering patch before the fire department arrived.
McDowell said illegal businesses operating in ward 18 include both those operating from homes as well as street hawkers. He said it was mainly a zoning issue and he was in the process of arranging a meeting with a BCM department head who would tell him how best to go about reporting and shutting down the businesses.
He said there was no specific concentration of these illegal businesses but that they were spread throughout the ward.
The illegal signage, which includes the usual abortion and sexual enhancement posters, is regularly tackled by teams who remove them, said McDowell.
Another problem in the ward, much like the rest of the BCM area, is the condition of roads with faults like potholes being the most common issue.
McDowell said that crime was not a major issue within his ward. He noted that in the past crimes such as housebreakings, being drunk in public and theft out of motor vehicles were the “most complained about”.
He attributed the decrease in the area’s crime to the combined efforts of police, security companies and community members taking part in the local Community Policing Forums [CPF].
Within ward 18 there are two CPFs, namely sector one and sector two. McDowell said that both sectors had monthly meetings and that he attends both and had done so for a number of years.
One of the new councillor’s hopes for his ward is to continue to expand the sports hub on Gleneagles Road in Bunkers Hill. Currently there are soccer fields, an astroturf, softball stadium and badminton courts.
He said he would like to add a netball stadium and hopes that the sports hub could attract sports tourism which would benefit local bed and breakfasts as well as create new jobs.
McDowell has said the best way for residents of his ward to contact him is via e-mail at ward18 councillor@gmail.com.
He says that this way, if he is allowed, he can cc the resident in follow-up e-mails regarding their issue so that they remain informed on the process and see that something is happening.
Trusted old hand takes helm in ward 18
The three main issues facing ward 18 are sewage leaks into the Nahoon and Ihlanza rivers, the condition of roads in the area, and illegal business trading and the signage with it.
This is according to the ward’s newly-elected councillor Jason McDowell.
Ward 18 includes the areas of Vincent, Bunkers Hill, Nahoon Beach, Bonnie Doon and Woodleigh.
McDowell, who has been on the ward’s committee for two years and has lived in the area for 40 years, said sewage seeping into the Nahoon and Ihlanza rivers is responsible for the uptick in closures of the Nahoon Beach, which have become more common in recent weeks. He said in the last two to three weeks the popular beach had been closed about five times, often in the week. Yesterday the all too familiar ‘Do Not Swim’ sign was again stuck in the sand close to the Nahoon Lifesaver’s Shack.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said: “The beach is closed as a precaution due to load-shedding by Eskom.”
East London Museum scientist Kevin Cole said when the sewage reclamation works don’t have power they don’t have full use of the pumps. This means the sewage is not treated properly, causing higher than usual Ecoli levels in the water.
Diamond said there was a 72-hour turnaround on samples collected from the beach, the results of which would indicate whether the beach was safe.
Cole added that pollution of both the Nahoon and Inhlanza rivers has been an issue for almost two decades. The causes are an increase in population and subsequent housing demands, and an antiquated sewerage system.
In a further worry for residents, vagrants, who keep overnighting in the reserve, are believed to have left a fire burning in the dry, twig-and-leaf covered dune forest floor in the dune above Nahoon beach about 200m uphill from Ihlanza river on a blustery Saturday.
The Dispatch was present at 9am when BCM surf lifesaver Andrew Mills, 32, lugged a 20-litre water cannister up to where the fire had crept three metres from the trail through the dense forest floor and was heading uphill. He used sand and water to contain the smouldering patch before the fire department arrived.
McDowell said illegal businesses operating in ward 18 include both those operating from homes as well as street hawkers. He said it was mainly a zoning issue and he was in the process of arranging a meeting with a BCM department head who would tell him how best to go about reporting and shutting down the businesses.
He said there was no specific concentration of these illegal businesses but that they were spread throughout the ward.
The illegal signage, which includes the usual abortion and sexual enhancement posters, is regularly tackled by teams who remove them, said McDowell.
Another problem in the ward, much like the rest of the BCM area, is the condition of roads with faults like potholes being the most common issue.
McDowell said that crime was not a major issue within his ward. He noted that in the past crimes such as housebreakings, being drunk in public and theft out of motor vehicles were the “most complained about”.
He attributed the decrease in the area’s crime to the combined efforts of police, security companies and community members taking part in the local Community Policing Forums [CPF].
Within ward 18 there are two CPFs, namely sector one and sector two. McDowell said that both sectors had monthly meetings and that he attends both and had done so for a number of years.
One of the new councillor’s hopes for his ward is to continue to expand the sports hub on Gleneagles Road in Bunkers Hill. Currently there are soccer fields, an astroturf, softball stadium and badminton courts.
He said he would like to add a netball stadium and hopes that the sports hub could attract sports tourism which would benefit local bed and breakfasts as well as create new jobs.
McDowell has said the best way for residents of his ward to contact him is via e-mail at ward18 councillor@gmail.com.
He says that this way, if he is allowed, he can cc the resident in follow-up e-mails regarding their issue so that they remain informed on the process and see that something is happening.
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