Disqusting

Johannesburg Zoo... What a disgrace! We decided to go spend the day at Joburg Zoo... On arrival we were welcomed by the usual "the world owes me something" chip on the shoulder attitude of staff, where madam behind the counter was very busy on her cell phone having a fat chat and catching up on the past months festivities and family history events, which cleary could not be done outside of working hours. After being accosted into taking a family photo, which we said we didn't want, were disgusted to be confronted with sights of despair, lazy staff (one of which was smoking a joint in a public bathroom) and the extremely poor condition of animal enclosures. Half the enclosures didn't even have occupants and the 5 tigers where out of their enclosure and cramped up into a 5x5 room with glass wall for visitors to get up close with. The apparent 1 and only otter left at the Zoo has dirty water... We got the feeling the poor animal was waiting a while for a meal as well. The ****** enclosures were riddled with rats the size of small dogs. The kids play ground was falling apart and definitely not a safe environment for children to play in. The amount of NON recyclable litter laying around the kids area no thanks to the food venders (namely Sausage Saloon and Chip n Dip) was despicable! I note the time was already after 11am... So there can be no excuse as to "it was too early in the morning" for the spliff smoking shade grabbing lazy staff to say they were getting to it?!?! By 11am the venues "tuck shop" was still closed... In fact all the venders including kids rides were still closed. The ablution facilities were a cholera outbreak waiting to happen. One ablution i visited was closed as i was told due to a "blocked pipe"... The stank was so bad, and judging by the chevron tape closing the area off its been like that for months! The next ablution i could find, albeit with its stoned, drug enduced staff occupant had 1 out of 6 toilets operational. Not a stick of loo paper in site (maybe this was used as a rizzler for them joints?) And the washing up facilities left NOTHING to the imagination.