Eastleigh Ridge resident blames unmaintained road for vehicle damage

Eastleigh Ridge resident Kevin Thomson had his car written off because of water damage to the engine after it got stuck on a flooded road on February 3.

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The disgruntled resident said the lack of road maintenance is a nightmare.

Thomson and his wife were returning from the airport and headed toward the R24. After taking the Barbara Road off-ramp, the vehicle got stuck.

“On taking the off-ramp, the road was completely flooded. I drove straight into the water, not realising how deep the water was. That’s when my vehicle came to a standstill,” said Thomson.

Another motorist helped him push the vehicle out of the water. This occurred just after midnight.

When he revisited the scene on February 4, Thomson said he realised that a palm tree was blocking the storm drain, causing the road to flood.

He was unsure whether the tree had fallen over or was dumped there.

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“The water was about half a meter deep. When I was at the scene, another car was also towed away.

“So many cars have been damaged because of that road, but no official felt the need to warn motorists.

“Shockingly, the road was never closed,” he explained.

“It is disgusting. Waste and the tree have been there for a while. My car is a write-off, and it is not my fault. It is not just the inconvenience, it is the losses too.

“I don’t know who to hold responsible for this mess. This entire situation is shocking,” he said.

The Bedfordview and Edenvale News requested comment from the City of Ekurhuleni by February 13 at 09:00.

No comment was received at the time of going to print.

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