In Soweto, Diepkloof zones 3 and 5 have parks. About a decade ago, after years without one, the City of Joburg and Johannesburg City Parks also built a park in Zone 4. It was beautiful, with swings, a gym and other apparatus for children to play on. But soon the swings lost their chains and now kids cannot use them any more.

There is no security company patrolling the park. Some residents say young people who move around with packs of dogs are the ones stealing the chains. Metal parts are also missing because the drug smokers steal and recycle them to have money to buy drugs.

Adults and children feel unsafe in the park. I met two boys, Sthembiso (10) and Philani (9), playing in the street.

“I was using my mother’s phone to play games. I forgot to leave it at home and took it with me to the park. The nyaope boys mugged me. Since then I don’t play there. It’s better to play in the street; it is closer to home,” said Philani.

“Last year me and my friends were enjoying our new toys,” said Sthembiso. “While we were sitting, two brothers came and sat next to us. One of them took out marijuana and a powder stuff that I think was drugs. We wanted to go, but they told us we must sit with them or we would leave our toys with them. That’s how we lost our toys.”

Young boys play at the Zone 5 park in Diepkloof, which still has functioning playground equipment. (Photo: Tshabalira Lebankeng)

The park in Zone 3 is now just an empty open space. Only a slide and the skeleton of two swings are left. At night, you cannot walk alone. Criminals stop you and take whatever you have on you.

Zolile Rangaza (46) was robbed in the Zone 3 park in 2019 when he was coming back from work. “It was my first time meeting those boys,” said Rangaza. “They are not from around here. They took my shoes, my jacket and money. I’m glad they didn’t kill me because they were not happy to find only R50 in my pocket.”

‘Police are useless’

Asked whether he reported the crime to the police, Rangaza said although the police station is just around the corner, complainants won’t get help.

“In the evening you won’t find a police car in the park to patrol. The park has no lights; the little light is from the streetlights. Why are there no park lights, which will help people to see if there is someone under the trees? What I can say is our police are useless,” said Rangaza.

The park in Zone 5 still has most of its playing equipment as well as toilets and a guardhouse. There are people sitting in the park and seemingly enjoying themselves. But residents say the security guards do little work. “Sometimes they are not visible for days. They come when they want,” said one resident.

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The toilets were closed and when I asked the security guards to use them, they told me I could “see the toilets are closed”. When I asked them why, they told me they are not the ones making the laws.

Mariam Thulisile Khawula (65) was sitting in the park by herself, enjoying some fruit. Asked whether she was afraid to sit alone, she said: “In this park bad things happen every time. There is no help; we are not safe. I’m just sitting because I want to enjoy my day. 

While this park in Protea Glen, Soweto, is on good condition, many public parks have becoming stomping grounds for criminals who mug residents. (Photo: Tshabalira Lebakeng)

Sthembiso (left) and Philani play in the street. (Photo: Tshabalira Lebakeng)

The search for six-year-old Khayalethu Magadla on 15 June 2022. (Photo: Gallo Images / Papi Morake)

“I told my grandchild that in South Africa crime is coming to our homes. Everywhere we are not safe, so you are telling me I can’t enjoy life because someone’s child will rape and kill me?”

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Sipho kaJama (40) was watching his two boys playing in the park. Asked whether he was worried about their safety, he said: “I’m worried. There is a lot happening in this park. Our children are seeing people smoking drugs in public. 

“They are useless drug addicts, these people, they don’t mind any more. Police are just walking past. If you ask the police why they are not arresting them, they tell you that these boys don’t spend time in prison. 

“We are living in a difficult time. That is why I’m here to protect my kids,’’ said kaJama.

City says environmental education, sense of civic pride and better monitoring can improve parks

DM168 sent questions to Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos (JCPZ), to which spokesperson Jenny Moodley responded. 

Is there a problem with safety and vandalism in the Soweto parks?

Yes, safety is a huge concern in Soweto and across all parks in the city, compounded and aggravated by mindless littering and illegal dumping. 

While the policing and safety in parks is a core function of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department and the South African Police Service, JCPZ has had to put in place additional measures to deter criminal activity and contain vandalism and littering in parks in the hope of reducing maintenance costs.

The park in Zone 4, Diepkloof, has been vandalised and is regarded as not safe. (Photo: Tshabalira Lebankeng)

What measures are in place to ensure the safety of park users in Soweto?

The psyche of crime is largely opportunistic, with the isolated reports pointing to substance abuse and drug dependencies as a key factor [in] criminal activity in Soweto.

City Parks has also amplified its environmental education programmes, establishing “friends of parks” neighbourhood watch committees; working closely with private security companies; hosting environmental events in parks in Soweto and other marginalised areas to foster civic ownership and pride; and increasing the involvement of communities through the augmented field services community-based employment programme.

Why does it appear as if Soweto parks are not well maintained and secure?

Maintenance across all parks is standardised and guided by JCPZ’s commitment outlined in the organisation’s customer charter to maintain flagship parks on a seven-day cycle, pocket parks or neighbourhood parks every 30 days, and undeveloped parks every 90 days.

This is not the ideal offering, particularly in the Soweto area with a populace of more than two million and where there is higher usage of parks resulting in increased levels of litter and damaged or vandalised play equipment, and transgressions of the by-laws.

The park in Diepkloof Zone 3 is left with only a slide after the swings were stolen. (Photo: Tshabalira Lebankeng)

City Parks has identified various hotspots and will be increasing the number of rangers subject to the availability of resources, and is further working with the City to install CCTV monitoring cameras. 

How much does JCPZ budget for park security and safety?

It costs JCPZ R22-million a year in outsourced security for the whole city with 2,187 facilities to manage. This budget will have to increase to decrease the cost of maintenance and deter crime in parks across the city.

Are parks monitored and how is park equipment maintained?

All regions have a dedicated regional manager who oversees operations in parks. Residents and ward committee officials can log service shortfalls with the Joburg Connect Call Centre on 011 375 5555. DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.