Largo residents have signed a petition expressing dissatisfaction with the City of Ekurhuleni’s service delivery.
Their primary concern is the “old and outdated” water infrastructure.
Residents complain the pipes in the area are constantly bursting as a result of high water pressure.
According to resident Mandy Ferreira, the water pipes in the area are old and in a poor condition, and need to be replaced in order to handle the high water pressure.
“Every time there’s a leak, the metro workers come out to fix it, only for the leaks to start again the following week. “We are losing too much water and the pipes need to be replaced,” said Ferreira.
According to resident Matthew Havenga, the ground on which many of the properties are situated contains dolomite, a water-soluble rock. This could lead to the development of a sinkhole.
“If a sinkhole develops here it will be an absolute disaster for all the businesses. “If council doesn’t act fast we are headed for a very bad situation,” he said.
The quality of drinking water is also a cause for concern.
“Most properties in Largo depend on borehole water and the quality of water just gets worse and worse,” said Ferreira.
Sewage leaking into the Blesbokspruit, which runs through Largo, has residents fearing their water will become undrinkable. Many streetlights are out of order, leaving parts of Largo in complete darkness at night, which is also concerning to residents.
Regular electricity cuts also plague the area and have frustrated business owners and residents.
Another major concern is the high speed at which people drive down Ermelo Road. The speed limit is 50km/h, but cars drive in excess of 100km/h and there have been many serious accidents.
The petition calls for stop signs and speed humps to be installed on the road.
Comment from the City of Ekurhuleni will be published once it has been received.
