Enjoy the parks, leave nothing behind but your footprints

 

As Johannesburg residents prepare to celebrate National Heritage Day on Wednesday with a braai, City Parks and Zoo has appealed to inconsiderate elements to steer clear of parks or face the full might of the law.

"Every year people trash the city's parks and leave mountains of rubbish behind, spoiling the fun for law-abiding citizens who had planned to spend a day with their loved ones,” says City Parks and Zoo’s Communications Manager, Jenny Moodley.
 

This year, City Parks has put contingency plans in place to ensure that residents who visit the City’s parks on Heritage Day, which doubles up as Braai Day, do so in an orderly way.

The municipal-owned entity's safety officials, assisted by members of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), will be out in full force to ensure that law-abiding residents are not disturbed by inconsiderate elements.

Residents who use the City’s parks are not allowed to feed animals; break plants, trees or park equipment, or start a fire in a restricted area.
 

They are also not allowed to: 

 Act in a manner that is dangerous to life or property;

Contravene the provisions of any notice within any public open space; 

 Unlawfully enter a public open space to which access has been restricted; 

 Cause a nuisance; or 

 Behave in an indecent or offensive manner.

No person may within a public open space – 

 Bathe, wade or swim in or wash him- or herself, an animal or any object, including clothing, in any water body; 

 Make, light or otherwise start a fire except in a facility provided by the council for that purpose; 

. Camp or reside; 

 Consume, brew, store or sell any alcoholic beverage;

 Use any sound equipment, including a radio, portable hi-fi system or car stereo; 

 Play an active game, except in an area designated for that purpose on a sport playing field or on a golf course; or 

 Shoot a projectile of any nature. 

No person may within a public open space – 

 Deposit, dump or discard any waste, other than in a receptacle provided by the council for that purpose; or 

Pollute or deposit any waste or thing in a manner which may detrimentally impact on a water body.

Residents have been urged to report any wrongdoing in the park, respect their local surroundings and be considerate to fellow park users by not playing music loudly.