Concern over collapsing wall
Engineers have already ensured residents that the wall is secure but residents fear for their lives when storms and heavy rains are expected.
MONDEOR residents of Devereaux Avenue are up in arms after their safety and security has been compromised, yet again, by the neighbouring wall that has collapsed for the third time, this time after the heavy rains this past week.
Residents of the Monte Roche complex are requesting that the construction company and engineers provide a signed report that the high vertical wall, as well as the foundations and brickwork of approximately 90 townhouses that have already been built, be provided to convince residents that the wall is secure.
According to residents at the complex, who wished to remain anonymous, engineers of Powergate Construction have already assured them that the wall is indeed secure, but residents fear for their lives when storms and heavy rains are expected.
“Our electric fence is no longer operational and we are nervous to live here. We are concerned about the construction next door and we worry that we are not safe living here any more,” said one of the residents.
One of the owners of Powergate Construction, Gareth Hemingway, confirmed that once the project is finished there will be no problems and the two top lines of the wall that collapsed could not have harmed anyone and was out of their control. “We have experienced 128ml of rain in less than 12 hours. Before we started the construction there was a mountain there that caused just as much mess in the complex below and residents are only complaining because they have someone to point fingers at. There is a security guard (courtesy of Powergate Construction) placed on site every night who watches over both the site and the complex. A signed report will be presented to the residents on completion of the wall that will confirm the safety and reliability of the structure,” said Hemingway.
Another resident spoke to the Comaro CHRONICLE saying that the ground on which the wall is built has just been compacted and the wall should not have been built so soon, let alone the foundations for the townhouses.
“The wall collapsed in November and December last year and now this year and the workers have always repaired the fences and cleaned up whatever mess the rain washes into our complex from the site. This is just a major inconvenience and it should not be affecting us. I believe it devalues our property,” said an upset resident.
However, Hemingway disagreed, saying that the wall has never collapsed as the residents are saying. “The top two lines only came off due to the heavy rains this past week. In December last year (when the residents say the wall collapsed) the site was closed for the holidays. Cleaning up and repairing the damage caused by the rain is extremely costly,” he said. Hemingway confirmed that his company is only responsible for building the walls and platforms and not the upcoming townhouses.
“There is nothing we can do to prevent these things from happening. We can’t protect everything and we ensure that the site is safe during the day. What happened was a force of nature and was out of our hands,” added Hemingway.
You may also want to read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/comaro-chronicle/77060/sewerage-seeps-into-mondeor-stream/ or https://www.citizen.co.za/comaro-chronicle/106193/09-cccou-crime-arrests-jk/
