Kids have no place to play as hall destroyed

OPEN fields and equipment rooms are what children from Phoenix and Joe Slovo have to use, as the community hall that hosts their holiday programme was burnt in recent protests.

The community hall was burnt, along with another community centre and MyCiTi buses were torched during a protest last week.

While the city awaits for a response from assessors, hundreds of children from the area are among those affected by the hall not being in operation.

Joe Slovo crisis and Residents Development Committee chairperson Albert Bobotyana said children from the area are using the Phoenix Sports Complex for the holiday programme and other events. “When it’s raining they use the kit room there and a room where some meetings are held. There will be an event for elderly people that was going to be at the hall today and that will also have to be moved there.”

The protests, which started on Sunday, over an illegal school and illegally erected structures, resulted in damages amounting to R2 million.

Chairperson of the Phoenix Neighbourhood Watch Russel Capes said about 2 500 children use the facility during the school holidays. “Everything has been shut down, nothing can be done here. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, especially with Mandela Day coming up.”

Capes said the area doesn’t have decent parks for children to use, despite numerous promises that they will be upgraded. “We are a rate paying area and we are getting the short end of the stick big time. For the last 15 years it’s been like this.”

Mayoral committee member for safety and security; and social services JP Smith said repairs have not yet started and that “alternative arrangement to host some holiday programmes at other facilities” are being made. “The nearest community halls are the Summer Greens and Milnerton Hall and the City’s Recreation and Parks department will accommodate users of the Joe Slovo hall at these centres as far as possible.”

THE PROTESTS RESULTED IN DAMAGES AMOUNTING TO R2 MILLION