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FOR more than three years, ang?ry Hanover Park residents have been fighting to pave certain courts that they believe are hazar?dous to their health.

Michael November, a concerned resident, says the unpaved courts are a worrying factor throughout the year. "During winter we have heavy rains so the courts, which consist of red gravel, don't soak up the rain. Instead they form muddy puddles and in summer the red gravel and sand is blown around by the wind, which is very worrying for residents," he says.

November, who has repeatedly complained about the issue, adds that the muddles are detrimental in many ways. "During summer the gravel blows onto the washing and your clean washing gets dirty.

"Your shoes also get spoilt while walking through the muddy puddles in winter, and it's a hassle trying to clean up the floors after you've walked into the house with muddy shoes."

The affected blocks of flats include Howick, Galway, Hangklip, Cariba and Cascade Courts, says November.

"What is of greater concern is that our children play in the puddles and get sick. We have a few residents who also have tuberculosis and the contrast between the wet, damp conditions outside and inside the flats is unhealthy for them."

Alawiyah Abdurahman is one such resident. Abdurahman, who has been living at Galway Court for the past 20 years, says she is regularly waken at night by raindrops falling on her head.

"Every night I have to get up and wipe away the leak. When I complained about it, the officials told me that the leak exists because we are bathing too much."

Abdurahman adds that her mo?ther, who is sickly, also has rain puddles on her window sill, which sometimes seep onto the floor or her bed. "It's very worrying because she is old and these conditions are not good for her health. Something needs to be done."

Ward councillor Kenneth Lategan says he is aware of the residents' complaints. "It has been brought to my attention and must be lodged with the housing department. However, I don't think it will be addressed soon because tarring is an expensive process."

In addition, he adds that he would like to submit the report to the department after a comprehensive survey on Hanover Park has been done.

"There are 26 blocks of flats that have not been well maintained. Last year the area didn't receive a lot of money either, so I plan to conduct the survey and implement a project called the Independent Development Programme (IDP). This will serve as a forum where residents can communicate their concerns and together we will prioritise the problems in the area and forward it to the mayoral committee, which will allocate a budget to us to address the issues."

Plans to launch the IDP are currently in the pipeline, says Lategan.

Commenting on the issues, environmental officer Joseph Pedro says the infrastructural development of Hanover Park is pivotal to community development.

"What we need is a five-year plan for the community. We need to develop Hanover Park's physical appearance and move it into a semi-affluent position. Currently, the only development taking place is in the central business district, but we need the whole area to be addressed, from the puddles to the state of the flats.

"In that way, residents will start to feel prouder about where they come from and who they are and this will hopefully curb some of the socio-economic problems we experience."

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