According to the resident, Sharon Tiepelt, residents were concerned that the planned development of the K109 road that is meant to pass through Apple Road, had been incorrectly aligned to Van Riebeek Road. “Over a month ago surveyors came to place cement circle tags marked with K109,” she said. “Such a development would disrupt our lives.”
She added that Van Riebeek Road was a quiet road abundant with wildlife. “We are surrounded by guinea fowls, quails, and in the rainy season we have endangered bullfrogs and some of the properties have boreholes. A highway running though the properties would have cost us a great deal. We are relieved that this mistake has been noted.”
Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport spokesperson Isaac Dhludhlu said the misunderstanding had been cleared with surveyors. “The department’s directorate design team met with consultant engineers and the surveyor to discuss the issue. The surveyor had graphed the wrong alignment for the K109. The surveyor will remove pegs from van Riebeek Road and survey the correct alignment.”