VIDEO: Process to repair Rondebult Rd sinkhole remains static
It's been a year since the road was damaged, and it still remains to be seen as to when will the road be fixed and reopened.
FOLLOW-UP: April marks 14 months since a section of Rondebult Road in Comet was closed as a result of the massive sinkhole that developed on the northbound hard shoulder of the road, yet the metro is still unclear about when repair work will start.
Responding to the Boksburg Advertiser’s request for an update on the city’s plan to rehabilitate this critical infrastructure, metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini could only say ‘investigations are underway’.
This means authorities are still investigating the extent of the damages and possible ways to deal with the mammoth task of filling the holes and rebuilding the much-needed road.
When this publication visited the site this week, it was discovered that the gaping water-logged hole on the northbound hard shoulder continues to gradually swallow the sub-grade layer of the northbound carriageway.
The second gaping hole on the shoulder of the southbound carriageway has grown to such an extent that is also threatening to submerge the entire road.
Many residents are bemoaning that any process to repair the damaged stretch of road has not progressed as they would have liked to see.
The failure to make good progress towards fixing the road was initially attributed to lengthy dispute over the causes of the holes and who is responsible for the repair between the metro and provincial government. Lack of funds is also said to be a serious setback in the process.
Dangerous driving, lawless acts
Since the closure of the stretch of road, driving on the nearby alternative routes, particularly the sections of Main Reef and Pretoria roads, has become absolute mayhem.
The roads have been plagued by a widespread culture of lawlessness and misbehaviour during rush hour in the morning and in the afternoon.
The situation gets worse near the intersection of Main Reef and Pretoria roads, where some frustrated drivers were spotted ignoring traffic regulations to avoid the queuing traffic, waiting to turn into either direction of the two roads.
Some drivers were spotted driving into oncoming traffic, driving right through red traffic lights, cutting in from the sides of the roads to get in front of vehicles in the lanes.
It gets worse when the traffic lights are not working during load-shedding.
Many motorists, who were interviewed by the Advertiser and our online readers who left their comments said the disturbing aspect of it all is that they never spotted an EMPD directing traffic at the congested intersections near the sinkholes or on duty there to prevent the lawlessness.
They said officers are seemingly quick to set up operations on quiet roads to pull road users over.
