AFTER months of inconvenience due to three, large, open excavations, as a result of burst pipe repairs on The Avenue in Overport, repairs have begun to restore the damage. This comes after the eThekwini Municipality, in conjunction with Ward 31 councillor Remona Mckenzie, recently took the initiative to close the open excavation sites.
“The Avenue was left for months without repairs and with open excavation and no barricades to secure the area, after four burst pipes in the same road. I had a meeting with the principal of the school to find out how this affects the flow of traffic as there are many parents utilising the road as an entrance and exit point. The safety of the scholars is also important and compromised,” said Mckenzie.”
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At times, residents were left without water for days. Should a burst occur, the turnaround time is extremely slow; it is a process. There has been a significant increase in burst pipes in my ward, and I’m not sure if pressure valves
are checked and regulated. I have requested the inspector to investigate and advise accordingly,” she said.
The councillor says that infrastructure is compromised and is collapsing because of the neglect to maintain and upgrade it in the area. “The aging infrastructure is the major cause of burst pipes. We need to upgrade the current infrastructure in eThekwini using new-technology piping. We must look at infrastructure versus development.”
However, Mckenzie says that after hearing the residents’ concerns, she persisted and worked with the eThekwini Municipality, and the holes have been sealed and the surrounding rubble in the road removed from the excavation sites.
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“During my oversight visit with the inspector on August 13, I was happy to see that the hole just beyond Overport City was being resurfaced. The efforts of a resident and myself finally paid off ,” she said.
The councillor says she is glad that the matter was attended to, but her work is far from fi nished. “The inspector from Water and Sanitation met with me on August 13, and we drove through the area, taking notes of the roads that need to be prioritised and repaired. We have many more challenging minefields to repair, but I will make sure that I keep communication with the departments to ensure all repairs are done,” said Mckenzie.
