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Municipality denies neglect of resort

The municipality of Madibeng has denied reports that the municipal resort on the Schoemansville foreshore is in a state of neglect after complaints that the area is not being properly maintained. Kormorant has received several complaints that the resort is no credit to the ?Pearl of the North West? slogan used to promote tourism to the area.
There are several spots around the Dam where day visitors can reach the shore to picnic or fish. Schoemansville?s Oewer Club, for instance, is perhaps the ideal picnic spot but the number of visitors that can be accommodated is limited. The municipal resort next door, also known as the Eatern forshore, comprises a much bigger part of the shoreline and is also one of the best shore bird habitats in North West, according to some enthusiasts, where one will find in excess of twenty to thirty different species of birds within ten minutes. But, as local resident, Jan Loysen says, the place is ?a thundering disgrace?.
He says that at or near the water?s edge there is not a square metre where one will not find rubbish strewn about. The litter spoils the beauty of the area. Another Schoemansville resident, who prefers to remain anonymous, said that the litter is not removed regularly and the ablution blocks in the resort are in such a bad state that they are unfit for human use.
There are no waste drums for visitors to dump their rubbish before leaving and instead of taking it with them, it is left behind and scattered by the wind. As braai facilities at the Eastern foreshore are limited and badly maintained, visitors make fires wherever they choose.
In response to enquiries, Tumelo Tshabalala, the spokesperson for the Madibeng local municipality, says that there is no rubbish and litter as reported and that the ablution blocks only have a few broken windows that will be fixed soon. He says that a security guard is always on duty on the site. Tshabalala also says that rubbish bins will be supplied soon and braai facilities will be erected in all the resorts in the new financial year.

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23 October 2008