What was once a colourful state-of-the-art play park is now an eye-sore for residents of Seawinds in Lavender Hill. The R7.6 million Seawinds Smart Park has been the target of incessant destruction and vandalism by criminals over the past year.
The world-class park opened in September 2017 and included a water play area where children could learn about the water cycle and splash around in shallow water; a younger children’s play area; a multipurpose playground; two multipurpose courts that could host a variety of ball games; a picnic area and covered stage; as well as outdoor exercise areas.

Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien said these features are now burned to ash, vandalised or stolen.

“These features are now burned to ash, vandalised or stolen. The park has been damaged to such an extent that it is unrecognisable as the same space it was when it opened.”

“At the time it was a heartwarming launch as the aim of the park was to bring people together for shared experiences and to build on a lasting legacy for our children,” Badroodien explained.

He said families no longer have a beautiful, safe place to enjoy and the children of the area now have even less recreational space to call their own.

“The selfish deeds of those behind these malicious crimes often affect the most vulnerable in our communities, the very people that need to use community spaces to empower themselves.

“The City cannot fight the scourge of vandalism and destruction alone. Each one of us needs to be more responsible. We must report acts of vandalism and theft to the police and law enforcement as and when we witness them. This requires both active citizenry and exercising our moral duty to do what is right,” Badroodien said.

He added that the City’s Community Services and Health Department will be seeking long-term solutions to abate this behaviour, and said it will work together with communities, the South African Police Services, Law Enforcement and other stakeholders going forward.