A burst water main in the basement parking lot of a building in Joubert Street has become a real cause for concern.
If not repaired soon, water that has been gushing out through the seams of the concrete floor and against support pillars of the three-storey building above the parking lot may well cause it to subside and, at worst, even collapse.
This is the opinion of a structural engineer who inspected the site at the request of the Highvelder on Monday. The building is apparently the property of Absa Bank.
A large area of the parking lot has been flooded and it is feared that the water may have eroded a cavity underneath the concrete floor.
A concerned businessman brought the problem to the attention of the Highvelder last week.
The businessman, who wishes to remain anonymous, became frustrated with the apparent lack of urgency by the authorities and owners of the building in addressing the problem.
Besides the obvious wastage of clean drinking water, the businessman expressed his concern for the safety of the building.
He first noticed the water leak on 1 July and notified the tenants of the problem.
A week later, despite several telephonic attempts and personal visits to bank personnel and the Msukaligwa Municipality, the water was still gushing out from underneath the concrete.
On 10 July he approached an official at the Department of Environmental Affairs who noted the problem.
The businessman has documented his efforts to get someone to take action and in desperation he approached the Highvelder for assistance.
On Monday, officials of the bank accompanied the Highvelder to the basement to view the extent of the problem.
The matter has since been brought to the attention of the various role players and it seems as if action will be taken soon.
By the time of going of going to print on Tuesday, the newspaper had received no official statement from Absa Head Office.
