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Just Who Should Take the Credit For The Ingwe Park in Motherwell?

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Today our Municipality demonstrated to me that that have lost touch with everyone and continue to act in an arrogant manner with no regard to the people that they purport to serve.

When it comes to determining who should get the credit for any initiative the ordinary man would say that the people who created the seed, the impetus, the ones who picked up the first bit of rubbish or rubble and embarked on turning a disused dumping site back into a safe colourful space for the children of Ward 57 are the ones deserving of the credit as community builders.

Or would that really be the case?

This morning the 4th estate were invited to attend the opening of the Ingwe Park in Motherwell at 10:00 am.

Proceedings only started at 11:00 am – no apologies, just the expectation that the 4th estate and community would sit and wait for the arrival of our dignitaries; Ward 57 Councillor, Thembinkosi Maswana and MMC for Public Health, Councillor Thsonono Buyeye.

Whilst waiting for proceedings to start I noticed a long extension lead going from a four roomed house, over the newly installed clear-vu fence, running across the mini football concrete pitch, over the clear-vu fence again, crossing the sewage/storm water open drain and ending at the roadside tyre exchange business to power a compressor.

Said lead consisted of a couple of different lengths of 1.5mm cable with some dodgy connections.

At the end of the first length of cable the Municipal supplied tent and audio contractor had plugged in his lead to power the proceedings. One of his connections was done with sellotape and not proper nito tape.

Back to the 1.5mm cable – wholely inadeqaute in size, too long and illegal for the expected load and, if it stays there to power the roadside compressor then it represents a real electrocution hazard to any children playing in the park.

Ingwe Park Illegal Electricity Connection

So far we have TWO strikes against the municipality: LATE and DANGEROUS connections.

But bad things come in threes and I didn’t have long to wait.

Walking around the Ingwe Park one couldn’t help notice that the playground equipment was a mix of much older and brand new, whilst the pot plants and benches had been painted a while ago. Almost as if the park had been started many years ago but only recently completed with the addition of two plastic slides, two mini football goalposts and some signage.

AND the mystery was solved when I met Motherwell Artists Sakumzi and Msindisi Nyendwana.

In 2019 the brothers embarked on a project to turn the Ingwe Park back into a safe bright space for the children of the area. Their hard work was featured in two YouTube Videos during 2019 – see below.

Now, what I find sad (shocking/infuriating?) is that the brothers were not acknowledged or praised by any of the talking heads at the event. Is this the way our leaders treat the people that they are rresponsible for?

I asked Sakumzi how he felt about being ‘sidelined’ and he said; “I’m not suprised by the NMB’s action because thats how they are. They lack Ideas but I’m proud of myself because I’ve managed to transform a legal dumpsite into attraction/historical or an eco friendly space. And the vision was to save kids lives from deases because that dumpsite was a health hazards to the community.”

Undeterred by this snub Sakumzi says that he and Msindisi are working on designs to transform another two illegal dumpsites into playgrounds/historical /attraction sites and would welcome the assistance of any sponsors.

Contact Alan HERE to get in touch with Sakumzi or phone him direct on 072 343 8021.

Apparently the home owner providing the electricity to the roadside tyre repair business charges said business R100.00 every week, payable on a Sunday. I wonder if I could interest him in a Prepaid Electricity Meter?

SABC News reported on 15 June 2019: The Nyendwana brothers started the programme some years ago, but have been hampered by a lack of funding and supplies. But it’s not preventing the artist siblings from chasing their dream. A clean and safe township. Illegal dump sites in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth are being turned into playgrounds for children.

Illegal dump sites turned into playgrounds for children

FilmBuddies Agnes Mazur posted this on 4 April 2019: The two brothers Sakumzi and Coco are local artists in Motherwell and have become very involved in charity art projects for the children of their community.

For the kids in Motherwell - Township Art Project

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.