By the end of this week, things should start returning to normal at the Colorado hall and in the coming weeks, the community will be able to start using it again.
Since the start of the hard lockdown in March 2020, the Samora Machel clinic has been housed at the hall after the clinic was robbed, resulting in staff and patients being too afraid to go there.
The clinic was also affected by sewage overflow as well as the massive potholes in Oliver Tambo Road.
As repair work nears completion and the clinic prepares to move back to its premises, City officials, health inspectors and community members visited the hall on Wednesday May 25. The site visit had been initiated by Sub-council 17 chairperson Elton Jansen at the sub-council meeting on Monday May 16.
Rob Quintas, the City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility, said the contractor completed the repairs to the damaged sections of Oliver Tambo Road last week.
“Potholes form when water accesses the road surface through cracks, thus, the best solution to prevent potholes from forming is to keep the road surface dry by not dumping grey water, or any other fluids on the road,” he said.
Dr Zahid Badroodien, the City’s mayoral committee member for water and sanitation said the sewage spill had been resolved
“(In April) the water and sanitation team installed a non-return valve on the clinic’s sewer connection to prevent sewage from overflowing in the clinic when the sewer pipes are blocked. There are currently no known sewage overflows that have a direct impact on the clinic,” he said.
Dr Badroodien added: “The public can help prevent sewer pipes from being blocked. Blockages are mainly caused by foreign objects such as fats and oils, rags, litter, diapers, sanitary pads, tampons and rubble that enter the sewer network either by flushing, pouring down kitchen sinks or via open manholes.”
Ward 75 councillor Joan Woodman said she had visited the site in Samora Machel on Wednesday May 25 and had been happy to see repair work to the road and clinic moving along.
However, she said, parts of the facility still needed fixing, including two toilets and the outside lights, and the floors needed cleaning.
Ms Woodman said the patients making use of the clinic at Colorado Hall were expected to relocate to the Samora Machel clinic by Friday June 3.
And once this happened, and all the structured had been removed, officials would be able to make thorough inspection of the Colorado Hall.
Mr Jansen said they were working to get the hall back, patrons and staff safely relocated and having the community access the hall again.
Colorado Park Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association representative Natalie Bent said they were pleased that there was some progress with regard to the relocation of the clinic.
“We were informed that work will be done at the end of June. The community will be pleased when the centre is fully restored. Organisations will be able to utilise the centre for meetings, workshops, gym, youth groups, seniors groups and feeding schemes,” she said.
Mr Jansen said councillors were committed to ensuring that, when the hall was handed back to the community, it was in a good condition and conducive to being used by the community.
Patients who spoke to Plainsman said welcomed the return of their clinic to its premises, because it was far and often unsafe to walk from Samora Machel to the Colorado Hall.
Patient Sixolisiwe Sitshevu, 21, from Samora Michel said felt unsafe and walked with a friend when she had to come to the clinic.
Avela Mothuko, 35, from Samora Machel who attended the clinic said she often had to walk over the bridge with her young child and did not feel safe doing so.
“Sometimes my child is sick and I need to walk with my child all the way to Colorado Park, sometimes carrying the child. It is dangerous. I would like the clinic to move back as it is more convenient and safer that way. The weather plays a part as it also gets darker very quickly at night,” she said.
Abongile Mzayiya, from Samora, 30, said most patients leave all their valuables, including phones, money and jewellery at home when they have to walk to the clinic.
“We want to go back as the clinic in Samora would be 10 minutes away. I heard they robbed the clinic. They must improve on security and the City must tell the police to always be visible in these times, protecting us,” she said.