Kimberley’s fading identity as street names vanish amid neglect
The civil society group, AfriForum, stepped in over the past few weeks to ensure that street names are freshly painted, a responsibility that actually belongs to the municipality but has been neglected.
Image: Supplied
KIMBERLEY, once a beacon of history and heritage, now battles a growing crisis: street names that have faded into obscurity, leaving residents and visitors alike struggling to navigate the city’s neighbourhoods. In many areas around Kimberley, street name signage has become unreadable or completely disappeared due to years of municipal neglect.
For locals who know the area, navigating the streets is easy, but what about the visitor coming to look at the history of the town and looking for a street? Is that the image we want to put out there about our town?
This failure has forced civil society groups like AfriForum to step in. Over the past few weeks, AfriForum’s Kimberley branch took it upon themselves to repaint all street names in Hadison Park. Volunteers also picked up litter and committed to continuing the effort in nearby Kestellhof. Their actions have brought a breath of fresh air to areas long ignored by the local authorities.
"The fact that ordinary citizens have to restore something as basic as street signage is a sad reflection of the state of our municipality," said one resident.
The group also cleaned the Concentration Camp monument, which had fallen victim to vandalism. Marble plaques were broken, steel structures were damaged, and the site was littered with garbage. The monument was cleaned with soap and water, and the fences were repaired to prevent nightly intrusions. Their efforts are a stark contrast to the apparent disinterest of the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality.
The Concentration Camp monument, which had fallen victim to vandalism, was also repaired and cleaned recently.
Image: Supplied
The neglect is not only visible in the city’s infrastructure but also in its natural heritage. After a recent downpour, they conducted water tests at Kamfers Dam, once famous for its thriving flamingo population. The tests showed alarmingly high levels of E. coli and coliform bacteria, indicating that raw sewage continues to flow into the dam. As a result, the flamingos have either died or migrated elsewhere, turning what was once a vibrant ecosystem into a tragic reminder of municipal failure.
High E. Coli levels have been picked up in the Kamfers Dam by Afriforum, showing that raw sewage is still flowing into the dam while the flamingo population has left.
Image: Danie van der Lith
The group has vowed to continue its work to resist the decay that has gripped Kimberley. However, many residents are questioning why private citizens and organisations must bear the burden of basic municipal duties like signage upkeep, sanitation, and heritage preservation.
By the time of going to publication, the Sol Plaatje Municipality had failed to respond to questions directed to them.