Fix our road, pleads Kloof resident

MELVILLE Place residents have been trying to get the municipality to fix their dilapidating road for a while, and over a year later, the road is still not closer to being repaired.

Kloof resident Heidi Boyd said their problems started when the tar had to be repaired after they experienced a stormwater-drain issue.

After the repairs, Boyd said the workers left all the tar that was lifted and the soil against her palisade fence, which pushed a part of her fence over.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Stapleton Road is on the verge of collapsing once again

Months after that ordeal, it has been a roller-coaster ride as they keep hitting a dead end and get pushed from pillar to post.

According to Boyd, their road has had a few repairs over the past year – “But nothing permanent. Every time they repair something, it just makes matters worse.

“The floods came and ripped up our road, leaving huge holes, and one is at the entrance of my house. We have tried to cover it, but it makes it so hard to enter and exit, and I am scared it will get worse and we will be stuck inside as it is the rainy season.”

She highlighted that the worst damage was caused by contractors who were sent out to install the new stormwater pipe.

“They used a backloader to dig the trench. This caused our fence post to sink in,” said the frustrated Boyd.

After the current rains, the resident said the road is becoming harder for normal cars to drive on.

“I appeal to the municipality to send out people who can solve our problems once and for all. This is becoming unbearable – we have called and emailed, but we have still not received proper assistance,” pleaded Boyd.

ALSO READ: Road to Westown sees upgrade of Kassier Road

Newly elected Ward 10 councillor Caelee Laing said Melville Place has been a problem for residents of the road since the end of 2021.

“I was requested to meet with residents last week regarding delays in action from the municipality.

“I managed to have an engineer from Stormwater Design to meet us on-site as I was advised they had completed a design for the stormwater infrastructure to be replaced. They advised that this has to be done before the road can be resurfaced by Roads Provision,” she said.

According to Laing, she was told that the designs were completed towards the end of last year, and according to the officials, they were awaiting the additional funding to the infrastructure departments to start these backlogged projects.

“This project will be taking place once contractors have been approved by Supply Chain Management after the tender process, which is starting this week. I will be following up with the departments regularly until this project is completed.”

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram.