The family of Lisekhona Bouwer, who was fatally injured at the age of four after a jungle gym fell on him in a playground in December 2019 in Riebeek East, have blamed the Makana Municipality for dragging its feet in removing the dangerous equipment.
Though the family say they have been compensated for the loss of their son, they are still traumatised by the municipal’s negligence in removing the unsafe equipment.
Khayalethu Bouwer, 38, told the Dispatch: “We are trying to forget the pain of losing our son because of the municipal’s negligence. But it is not easy.
“The municipality only removed the dangerous equipment from the playground and never replaced it with the new ones,” Khayalethu said.
“Instead they took the dangerous equipment and stored it on a soccer field, though they had promised us that they would take it to storage in Makhanda.
“Every time we pass near that soccer field, we get bad memories of losing our son unexpectedly.
“If that equipment can be removed we would be at least be at peace.”
Lisekhona’s aunt, Nomakhaya Bouwer, 34, said the old equipment put the lives of their children at risk.
“I have two children and I am not happy with the dumping of the old equipment at the soccer field,” she said.
“Some of the children are playing on that equipment and it can fall on them.
“I reported this problem immediately I saw it to councillor Cary Clark and she promised to report it to the municipality.”
She said the municipality had left their children with no other alternative place to play at.
“Our municipality does not care. Ever since my nephew’s death our children have no other place to play at. We demand a safe play park for our children.
“We want a play park with plastic equipment like in Gqeberha where children’s lives are not at risk.
“We never said the playground must be closed for good, but we demand a safe play environment for our children.”
Ward 1 councillor Phumelele Peter denied that the old equipment at the soccer field was posing a danger to the children.
“The old equipment was removed and stored at municipal premises. Some of it has been moved to Xhalisile Stadium where it was used to close a hole in the wall,” he said.
“It is a lie that the equipment is posing danger to the children.”
Ward 8 councillor Clark, who has been fighting for a better playground, expressed her disappointment with the municipality.
“I got a call from Nomakhaya complaining about this old equipment that was removed from the play park to the soccer field.
“She said the children were playing on this equipment. I went to the field with her to see for myself.
“Then I raised this issue over and over in council meetings to remove this equipment. They said they would take it to Makhanda. But that never happened.
“I raised it again and the municipality said it had no truck [for transport].
“I suggested that they should use an angle grinder to destroy this dangerous equipment. But that also did not happen.”
Municipal spokesperson Yoliswa Ramakolo said: “The equipment was removed from the play park to be placed at municipal stores for safekeeping and awaiting auction.
“The municipality has applied for a play park from the department of sports, recreation, arts & culture.”
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