A tour of Edenvale’s stormwater servitudes highlighted the dire need for repairs and much-needed attention from the municipality.
The tour included members of the Ward 19 ward committee, municipal representatives and Lisa Atkins, Ward 18 environmental portfolio ward committee member.
Ward 19 Alderman Bill Rundle said the tour was part of the municipality and community’s plan to work together and improve Edenvale.
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The purpose of the tour was to show municipal staff, responsible for waste collection, the dangers posed to infrastructure and properties along the length of Edenvale’s stormwater servitude.
This included illegal dumping and uncontrolled growth of vegetation in the waterway
Ward 19 committee member of the economic development and city planning portfolio, Eddie Taylor, said it also highlighted the growing threat of future destruction that could arise from climate change specifically regarding rainfall in the catchment area.
“It’s hoped that the participants would recognize the need for urgent action to be taken now to reduce the extent of damage and harm to life, from future extreme weather events,” said Taylor.
Starting at the partially collapsed St Andrews Road Bridge, the tour made its way to the overgrown Minuach attenuation dam.
From there the tour wound its way through Eastleigh, the bridges located at the bottom of the Avenues and ended at the broken weir in Protea Park.
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In many places, the need for rehabilitation and repairs in servitude as well as the need for vegetation to be cleared was highlighted.
said the tour was prompted by the well-documented history of previous flooding along Eastleigh Spruit.
“The lack of commitment to provide budget funding, even for maintenance of damaged bridges, or for routinely removing vegetation and debris from the waterway, is clear evidence of the under-estimation of the size of the threat or the extent of the added potential risks posed by global warming,” said Taylor.
He said the Ward 19 committee has flagged flooding to be the biggest risk to the local economy and is promoting the need for a risk assessment and subsequent action.
Taylor said the loss of any of the bridges crossing the spruit would affect Edenvale greatly.
“The most vulnerable bridge is probably at First Avenue because of it being near the end of the line. It is also too low and lacks the width to handle anticipated stormwater,” said Taylor.
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He said the bridge, if lost, that would cause the largest economic disruption is most likely the Van Riebeek Avenue Bridge.
“The bridge is in the heart of the CBD and serves many commercial entities that would be severely affected it would cause logistic nightmares if lost.
“Businesses would likely close and may not recover. Revenue and jobs would be lost, while Edenvale’s reputation would suffer,” said Taylor.
Taylor said the tour was an eye-opener for those who accompanied the group to the end.
“We will be escalating the urgency for action to the highest level in the municipality as well as other spheres of government to press home the magnitude of this situation,” said Taylor.
A follow-up meeting is planned with the management of Waste Collection.
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“Thereafter a combined meeting with all affected parties will be arranged, followed by a meeting with the city manager and mayor,” said Taylor.
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni requesting comment by noon on July 19. At the time of going to print no comment was received.
