George Lea Park in Sandton has become a rubbish dump.

The once-beautiful green lung in Sandton, along William Nicol Drive, is no longer.

Instead, it has been taken over by building contractors and residents who have been illegally dumping their rubble and refuse in growing quantities.

The piles of rubble are metres high and overgrown with weeds.

Concerned Sandton residents say it is a shame that the City of Joburg has allowed this to continue.

Part of the problem is that residents have been complaining to the wrong authorities.

They lodged their complaints with City Parks, but that body is no longer responsible for the park.

Resident Louise Whittaker says the problem gets worse every week.

“This just isn’t a park any more. It is a rubbish dump in full view of the public, in the middle of Sandton.

“I don’t know how many people use this park for public meetings any more.

“The whole park is being taken over by the rubbish,” she says.

The dumping, she says, started when some roadworks were being done in the area, and building material was left behind.

That, Whittaker says, was a signal for everyone else to join in.

“Soon people started dumping plastic bags, household and garden refuse.

“There are now tyre tracks in the park leading to the dumping spots, which are quite easy to drive to.

“The park has become an embarrassing mess,” she says.

Whittaker says she has called City Parks twice and was promised a response, but this never happened.

The park on the northern side is pretty awful, too, she says.

“It used to be a really lovely play park many years ago, and the equipment is all still there, but it’s terribly run down and no one utilises it any more,” she says.

But City Parks says it is no longer responsible for George Lea Park.

Spokeswoman Jenny Moodley says it was leased by the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) and has not been a park for some time.

Pikitup spokeswoman Pansy Oyedele confirms that it is the responsibility of the JPC.

According to JPC spokesman Brian Mhlangu, its property portfolio team met at George Lea Park this week to assess the situation, after which he would respond fully to issues raised.