Appointed contractors either defaulted before they even signed the contracts, or declined the contracts when they realised the scope of the work.
Central Road and the Plantation Road bridges are two of the stalled projects.
Fourth Avenue was closed to traffic and left as is.
The municipality does not explain why they have left it like that for three years.
One also has to note that the metro only started the project after being ordered to do so by a tribunal who heard representations from residents and business people from Edenvale and surrounds.
It was not a voluntary exercise, or part of their plan to deal with the problems.
Many public meetings were held and the municipality was taken to task at each and every one by the public at the meetings.
Work can only be done in the dry season and being given the contracts late, when it was already in the wet season, contributed to the failure to get the work started.
It is once again, for the third year, included in the IDP budget and it appears as if funding has been allocated to do the work this year.
It all depends on the finalisation of the tender process, completion of contract documents and the correct commencement date.
It can take up to two years for an environmental impact study and the issue of a water licence by the department.
The current stalled work by Eskom in Third Avenue is a good example. They are still waiting for the water licence to be able to get under the river in Third Avenue.
The Jack Coleman Bridge in First Avenue is also deteriorating quickly.
The metro managed after almost six months to cut the tree down that had grown into the guard rails and was the main reason for not being able to repair the railings.
The cut down tree was left in the river bed for months before being removed.
Also, the tree was not taken out correctly and has since grown back into the remaining hand railings.
The small concrete pillar and plaque in memory of the late Clr Jack Coleman has also been vandalised.
It would be interesting to hear council’s side of the story.
COMMENT – The letter was sent to the spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, (EMM) Mr Samuel Modiba, for comment on August 5.
Comment was requested by August 8 and at the time of going to print, no comment was received.
