South Africa: Saulsville Children Play Among Sewage and Rubbish As Public Parks Deteriorate

What the report says

Residents in Saulsville, west of Pretoria, say one of their main public parks has become unsafe because of sewage, illegal dumping and years of neglect. Health-e News reported that at Forest Park on Chauke Street, children and adults still use the space even though sewage was seen flowing through it, much of the playground equipment had disappeared and the area had no fencing.

Community activist Brian Mabasa and resident Jerry Pule told the outlet that the park has deteriorated over more than a decade and that repeated calls for repairs and fencing were not acted on. They said the site now attracts rubbish, including discarded medication and syringes, and that local families keep using it because there is no other open recreational area nearby. Mabasa said the park once drew visitors from other parts of Pretoria and was a valued community space.

The City of Tshwane disputed the claim that the park had been neglected, saying it was maintained during the week ending 20 July 2026 as part of a rotational schedule. The city said work included litter collection, grass cutting, waste removal and repainting of equipment and railings. Health-e News said sewage was still visible when it visited in August and that the city did not answer questions about that issue.

The report also pointed to wider concerns about the condition of public green spaces in poorer communities, noting research from the University of Pretoria linking access to parks with children’s physical activity and wellbeing.