SAFETY in Montclair and Mandalay is under scrutiny owing to an unfenced electricity transformer and substation in Clivia Park Phase Four and a park in Phase One.

Amos Bamoka, a community worker and the spokesperson for the Mandalay/Montclair Community Police subforum, says innocent children are unaware that their playing place could be deadly.

Amos, who has been living in Mandalay for five years, says that all transformers in the area are not properly fenced off. He has been complaining about the situation since he moved in and submitted complaints to the council since July last year.

“If you go to other areas in Mitchell’s Plain you find that the substations and transformers are fenced off, so why can’t this be done in Mandalay and Montclair?” he asks.

There are only two playground items in the Phase One park.

“Children are playing on the transformers and this is of great concern to parents and the community. This is a highly dangerous situation.

“The children could slip and fall or get electrocuted.”

He says that he has informed the local ward councillor about the situation on numerous occasions, stressing that the matter needs urgent attention.

“Thus far, no one has been hurt or killed, but it’s only a matter of time. Something should be done soon,” he says.

Ward councillor Gouwa Timm says she understands the concerns of the community, but with “limited resources, [she] can only do so much”, as there are 104 parks within Ward 76 and her ward allocation budget is R104000.

“Amos has been to my office numerous times and I have noted his concerns and the complaints of the community. Mandalay and Montclair has never been part of my ward as it’s only been part of Ward 76 for the last six months. Previously the area was managed by an ANC councillor,” she says.

Her ward’s budget has already been allocated for the financial year, Timm adds.

“I will have to source the funds from somewhere else and fix one thing at a time. I am in the process of starting various job-creation initiatives in the area.”