Mixed basket of responses to BCM’s R100m Water World project
Buffalo City Metro’s decision to spend R100m upgrading the Water World fun park at Leaches Bay has sparked some heated debate among East London residents on social media.
Some say the municipality cannot afford so much money on a leisure project when people are desperate for jobs and feeling the financial ravages of Covid-19. Others have defended BCM’s decision.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said if the government based its decisions on social media sentiments the country would be in turmoil.
The project, which comes at a cost of R103m over 18 months, is in addition to the multimillion-rand multipurpose park that is under construction on the East London beachfront in Quigney.
Construction began at the end of February but was frozen until the first week of July by the Covid-19 lockdown.
Resident Neil Smith asked members of his Fix Our Broken City Facebook page to share their opinions on the project.
He suggested BCM should have used the funds on higherpriority things.
“A budget and contracts to provide a fun park should not have been put in place in the first place,” he said.
“This money could better be used for infrastructure development such as housing, provision of electricity or proper waste disposal facilities.
“It totally disregards the proper priorities for the metro.
“The project should have been shelved under Covid-19 and the budget redirected to the upgrade of healthcare facilities such as emergency field hospitals,” Smith said.
He added that Leaches Bay was known for high levels of criminal activity.
“The public who might use it will not be too happy to know that it is close to Hood Point, where sewage is being discharged into the sea at the surf line.
“Security and crime prevention will need to be upgraded as the area is a crime hotspot.
“The access roads will also require upgrading as they are in a shocking state.
“As it is being built where the old one was I guess the environmental impact will not be as significant.”
Most people agreed with Smith’s sentiments, but there were a few who defended BCM, saying the project had been planned before Covid-19 arrived. Beacon Bay Ratepayers’ and Civic Association chair Malcolm Symons told the Dispatch on Monday he viewed the project as a waste of money.
“In the current circumstances, particularly when people can’t socialise and there is a desperate need for housing and other services such as water, it is a complete and utter waste of money,” he said.
“The lifesavers’ shack at Bonza Bay has been destroyed by vandals and it is likely that WaterWorld will go the same way.”
Smith said that as a ratepayer, his money should be put to better use.
“[BCM] seem to increase rates and decrease service levels,” he said.
“Our roads are in a shocking condition, we live in piles of our own filth and refuse, and service delivery on rates queries and billing is virtually non-existent.
“Accounts are full of errors.
Who would be happy to pay rates under those circumstances?”
But Ngwenya lashed those criticising from behind a computer.
“The hateful, racist and negative energy of keyboard warriors on social media platforms is not a reflection of the will of people. In fact, it’s not even a fraction of the residents,” Ngwenya said.
“Take for instance the people of that ward [West Bank], who have welcomed the development through their ward elected representative.
“We take note of all the comments on our Facebook page, but we are cognisant of the fact that it’s from exclusive people who have access to airtime and data, which makes the notion of a backlash a figment of imaginary journalism.
“It’s not even worth a response because it doesn’t scientifically and mathematically exist.”