Children in Saulsville, west of Pretoria continue to use public parks where residents say sewage, illegal dumping and deteriorating infrastructure have made the spaces unsafe.
When Health-e News visited Forest Park on Chauke Street, sewage was flowing through the park, rubbish was dumped across parts of the site, playground equipment was mostly gone and the park had no fencing.
Brian Mabasa, a young community activist who has lived in Saulsville all his life, says the park was last well maintained more than a decade ago. According to Mabasa, the park has since deteriorated.
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"The state has totally ignored this park. As the community we clean it for ourselves,especially during holidays," says Masaba.
"We need help. It's become more of a dumping site than a park. We want the park to be barricaded because it's unsafe now. Kids can easily fall on the slippery side and die here."
According to Masaba the park was once a popular recreational space. He says people travelled from as far as Mamelodi to spend time there with their families.
"For a long time it was a great space but this deteriorated from 2016 until today. Children are at risk, this park is dirty," he says.
Mabasa says discarded medication and syringes are among the waste found in the park.
Despite the conditions, residents continue to use the park. Mabasa estimates that more than 100 children and adults use the space on a weekly basis, although not all at the same time.
According to Masaba it is the only recreational space available in that part of Saulsville.
Residents want park protected
Saulsville resident Jerry Pule blames the City of Tshwane for failing to protect the park from vandalism.
"For years, we have called on our councillor to fence this park. Back then it was still looking very decent and well maintained," says Pule.
"We said it needs a strong fence to protect the playing equipment inside. Those pleas fell on deaf ears," Pule says.
He says the park has since become a dumping site.
"Vandals took over and started stripping things from the park until it became what you see today. It's a dumping site, people dispose of rubbish, pampers, spoiled food, dead dogs and used condoms here," he says.
"It's very filthy and our children play in this space, we can't stop them because there is no other open space where they can play."
The City claims the park was maintained in July
The City of Tshwane disputes claims that Forest Park has not been maintained.
In response to questions from Health-e News, the City's Lindela Mashigo says the park, formerly known as Rotary Forest Park, was maintained during the week ending 20 July 2026 as part of its rotational maintenance schedule.
Mashigo says the work included litter collection, grass cutting, waste removal and painting of playground equipment and boundary railings.
The City says litter collection and grass cutting are also carried out between scheduled maintenance visits.
However, when Health-e News visited Forest Park in August, sewage was still flowing through the park, and rubbish and deteriorating infrastructure were visible.
Mashigo did not respond to questions about the sewage flowing through the park.
Mashigo also did not provide the amount spent specifically on Forest Park, and added that spending on parks, open spaces, cemeteries, sports facilities and other public facilities is reported at regional level rather than for individual parks.
Research on green spaces by the University of Pretoria in Tshwane highlights the importance for environmental health and physical activity, particularly in communities where children have few other safe places to exercise and play. The research makes a direct link between access to parks and green spaces with increased physical activity among children and adolescents.
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The study found that budget constraints and limited capacity within the City's relevant departments, remain a challenge to manage parks efficiently.
Other parks also lack facilities
Health-e News also visited three other parks in Pretoria, and found similar conditions at these public spaces.
At another public park near the Atteridgeville Library in Tsunami, there are only a few cement picnic benches and no playground equipment for children.
Tshepang Motaung, who has lived in the Tsunami informal settlement for ten years, says the park has always been poorly maintained.
"I have never seen any equipment here for children and young people to play with," says Motaung.
"It's been an open space where people come to drink alcohol and nyaope-smoking boys smoke their drugs here. It is not safe at night, because people report being mugged at this park. There is no fence and no lights to prevent crime."
