Pumula residents have secured commitments from two local companies to supply rubble for filling abandoned pits that have claimed three lives in the past month.
The development follows urgent appeals from community leaders for the local authority to intervene and temporarily cover the water-filled excavations left behind by sand poachers.
During a community meeting, Ward 19 Councillor Lazarus Mpandwe announced that the companies have pledged enough material to secure the most high-risk sites.
“These companies have committed to providing rubble to cover at least three of the most dangerous pits, the ones that have claimed our children’s lives,” Mpandwe said.
He noted that while the material is free, the community must mobilise transport. The local Member of Parliament’s office has already pledged fuel coupons to support the logistics.
“We have been advised to organise trucks and fuel for the collection. With the MP’s support, we need to coordinate by Saturday to begin filling these pits,” he added.
The residents also called for sustainable solutions to prevent children from seeking out hazardous pits for recreation.
“A community swimming pool is a necessity,” one leader remarked. “In our youth, we had safe places to swim, but those facilities have fallen into disrepair.”
Residents noted that Pumula once boasted two functional pools and urged authorities to prioritise their restoration.
Another resident suggested partnering with the education department to establish shared school pools that could support the physical education curriculum.
“Designated, supervised areas are the only way to keep our children out of these trenches,” she said.
Community leader Nontando Ndiweni highlighted the importance of formal swimming lessons, pointing to a February incident where a young boy, trained at the Luveve swimming pool, successfully rescued two girls from drowning.
“This proves how vital these facilities are. ” We must push for this development,” Ndiweni said.
The community resolved to petition their MP to allocate Constituency Development Fund (CDF) resources toward a new pool, supplemented by the three percent ward retention fund.
Councillor Mpandwe backed the funding proposal, while Ward 27 Councillor Lizzy Sibanda emphasised the need for technical oversight.
“We require professional insight from city engineers to ensure these interventions are effective and provide long-term protection for our children,” Sibanda said.
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