Residents fed up with the condition of Dunbar Road
“This road has been in a bad condition for as long as I can remember,”
Frustrated Dunbar Road residents have raised concerns over the alleged lack of service delivery from the City of Ekurhuleni in light of the road falling into disrepair.
ALSO READ: Residents request answers on repairs
Despite residents reporting the condition of the road to the CoE on numerous occasions, they told the NEWS that little to no action has been taken.
The Illiondale road is lined with damage, ranging from potholes, cracks in the road’s surface and the road being uneven.
Dunbar Road resident Cobus du Preez, who has lived at his property for 18 years, said the condition of the road is nothing new.
“This road has been in a bad condition for as long as I can remember,” said du Preez.
Fellow resident Hezekiel Morwatshehla, who has lived at his Dunbar Road property since 1995, agreed that it had been a longstanding problem.
Besides raising concerns over the lack of repair work, du Preez said groundwater flowing off the open piece of land behind the properties is problematic for residents.
The runoff water flows from the open piece of land through the residents’ properties and onto Dunbar Road.
Du Preez explained that to alleviate the amount of water flowing into residents’ properties a trench was dug on the open piece of land by the Illiondale’ Residents Association (IRA).
Linda Mckenzie of the IRA explained that the trench was dug several years ago after the 2016 floods.
She said every time there was a rainy season properties against the open land would be flooded.
“The residents association asked a resident who owned earth moving equipment for assistance and a trench was dug from Dunbar Road to the spruit further down Cecil Awret Road to channel the water away from the properties.”
McKenzie said the trench solved a lot of problems the community was experiencing at the time.
Du Preez said that when there is a rainstorm the situation on Dunbar Road is sometimes worsened.
He said if the volume of water is too much for the nearby spruit, which feeds into Illiondale Wetland, to handle it bursts its banks and floods Dunbar Road.
“When this happens a layer of mud, soil and clay is left on the road.”
Residents along the road often have to clean the dirt off the road themselves or risk driving it into their properties and garages.
After reporting the condition of the road to the CoE, du Preez said he escalated the matter to his Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart.
Although he escalated the matter to Hart, du Preez said the road remains in a bad condition.
Hart said residents’ pleas for help are being heard.
“The Roads Department is aware of the issue and has been since groundwater became an issue several years ago,” said Hart.
“At that stage, only the properties were affected and the owner of the property that was visited was advised to install drainage in the property.”
Hart said a small sub-surface drain was installed on the adjacent sidewalk to take the water from the property.
According to Hart, Dunbar Road has been on the list of roads to be resurfaced for the past three years.
“Funds were allocated but withdrawn, I assume due to the groundwater,” explained Hart.
During a recent visit to the road with the city’s acting roads depot manager Hart was informed that the damage to the road was attributed to groundwater.
“On enquiring what would need to be done I was advised that it would probably be necessary to install sub-surface drains to channel the groundwater into the stormwater system,” said Hart.
When asked why she believes it has taken CoE so long to tend to the repairs, Hart assumed the reason to be budget priorities.
“Damage sustained in Edenvale during the 2016 flood remains unattended to, subsequently further life-threatening damage has occurred all which require extensive budgets,” explained Hart.
She highlighted that Dunbar Road remains on the list of roads that needs attention.
A request for comment was sent to the CoE on February 16 requesting comment by February 18 at 13:00.
At the time of going to print no comment was received.
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