The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) remains mum about water-related issues in Bedford Park.
Residents have, on numerous occasions, called on the municipality to address the water leak and sinkhole along John Avenue.
Mrs Alice Goldman said she first reported the leak in November 2015.
She has more than one reference number, but is still unsure when the matter will be addressed.
Three other residents, who did not want to be named, also phoned the NEWS to report the state of the road.
The residents said the sinkhole is an accident waiting to happen.
“The day a motorist not familiar with the area drives past there after sunset I foresee danger. If residents had not placed cones around it to warn motorists, there would have been an accident there already,” said one of the residents.
Upon the NEWS’s visit to the area, there are two trenches that seemed to have been recently dug up and sewage is overflowing. A leak was also evident as both clean water and sewage was flowing along the street.
Further down the road, closer to Club Street, there is a sinkhole with three cones and a stick wrapped with a red plastic bag.
In emails sent between Mrs Goldman and one of the CoE’s engineers in the water department, promises are made to visit and attend to the problem on the street.
The official told Mrs Goldman that the matter is a priority and that it was receiving the department’s full attention.
“I met with the contractor on-site where we considered all the options. The water pipe cannot be diverted at the moment due to electricity cables from the substation. The felling of the tree should be complete by Monday [January 31] whereafter we will continue with the repair of both the water and sewer pipes. We will attempt to clear the blockage as a temporary measure,” read the email.
When requesting comment from the CoE’s communications department, the NEWS asked if the felling of the tree had been completed as per the official’s email to the resident.
Spokesperson Mr Themba Gadebe said on February 5, “Work would commence once the massive blue gum tree on the site has been cut.”
On February 18, residents said although the tree was cut down, the water was still leaking and sewage was still flowing down John Avenue.
Emails sent to the CoE for clarity and the status quo of the road on February 5 had not been replied to at the time of going to press on February 19, despite a follow up made on February 17.
