Taxi washers also blamed for Joburg potholes

First it was residents discharging their swimming pool water into Joburg streets that was causing potholes across the city. Now it is taxi drivers washing their vehicles.

This is the latest explanation offered by the Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) in response to questions about the deteriorating state of roads in Diepsloot.

Four months ago, the City of Joburg spent R4,3-million on tarring dirt roads in the township, but today half-a-metre deep culverts run on either side of the road.

And the JRA is now saying taxis are one of the main factors causing the culverts. It is also blaming Joburg Water for failing to repair leaks and sewerage overflows.

But, Diepsloot residents say, no stormwater drains were installed, and this is what has caused the deep culverts along the sides of the roads.

Mpho Letswale, a resident, said he was shocked to see that many of the roads were already disintegrating.

"The roads are sinking on the sides, with holes and water pouring out of them. Children, pedestrians and cars can easily fall into big holes," Letswale said.

The JRA said the roads were constructed by the Nyoni Africa Consortium. Nyoni, it claims, is one of the most experienced road construction companies the JRA had worked with over the past seven years, said JRA spokesman Thulani Makhubane.

The new Diepsloot roads, said Makhubane, were under a defects-liability period until September 2010.

Makhubane said a JRA project manager had visited the site on January 18, after a depot manager complained about the condition of the roads following heavy downpours.

The damage to the road, said Makhubane, could be attributed to a number of factors, including the lack of stormwater infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of the road; the lack of repairs to water leaks by Joburg Water; the overflowing of sewerage manholes; damaged and blocked stormwater infrastructure; the abnormally high rainfall in December and January; and taxi washbays along the road.

The JRA, he added, would be taking the following steps: repairs to the damage would be undertaken by the consortium as part of its responsibility during the defects-liability period, and the JRA would liaise with its sister agencies and ask the Joburg metro police how to deal with the taxi issues.

"A meeting with the contractor and consultants to finalise the repairs programme has been held, and work will be starting shortly.

"Since we are still within the defects period - meaning the contractor is still liable for any defects on the road - no action will be taken against the contractor other than ensuring that the repairs to the road are carried out in accordance with the JRA's standards," he said.

Joburg Water expressed its disappointment at being blamed for the crumbling roads.

"We have a good working relationship with the JRA, and if one of our infrastructure teams digs to repair underground pipes, we communicate with them and expect the same from them," said Joburg Water spokesman Baldwin Matsimela.

The Star was unable to track down the Nyoni Consortium for comment.

The Star

Posted at 09:37AM Feb 24, 2010 by Editor in Residential  |