The Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) fulfilled their promise of a speedy repair process to reopen Windsor Road by the end of the Easter weekend before most residents returned to work the following week.
The municipality explained that a combination of heavy rainfall over the weekend of April 2 and tunnels dug by illegal miners caused a large section of the road on the left-hand lane toward Randfontein to collapse.
Also read: Windsor Road collapse: A compounded problem
Councillor Whitey Moleba, MMC for Roads and Transport explained that, after being closed for a week, work on the road commenced on Tuesday, April 12.
The councillor made multiple visits to the site while municipal workers dug up a large, square section of the affected lane, filled the tunnels and compacted the surface to allow traffic over the section again.
Daan Joubert of Payloads, a transportation service on Windsor Road explained the repairs commenced on April 11 following a meeting between them, the municipality and other affected businesses. At the time he was optimistic that the road would be open to traffic even before the Easter weekend.
Joubert described the repair work as a massive community project with many business owners and even residents contributing in some form or another.
The municipality confirmed that there had been a meeting between MCLM and stakeholders, which included local industries affected by the road closure.
“The way forward was that the road would be repaired as part of a joint operation and collaborative venture with industries or affected and participating businesses along the road to ensure that it was repaired and opened as soon as possible. The Municipality supervised the repair work along with all stakeholders and is fully aware of all the repair work and related activities being carried out.”
The barriers were removed on Monday, April 18 and the road was opened to traffic.
Whitey mentioned that police and Public Safety members were present during repairs to ensure the safety of the workers from the illegal miners in the area.
The work will continue on Tuesday. The municipality wants to make sure that everything’s closed up so that the illegal miners cannot get in here again.”
Traffic is flowing normally on Windsor Road again, and the road still needs to be tarred.
