Midrand’s Vorna Valley flood-line contractors have assures residents that there is progress despite the challenges brought by the weather.
Resident engineer Nkanyezi Mazibuko spoke to the Midrand Reporter to discuss the progress of the six-month project costing R6 million, and which started last year to stop houses next to the flood line alongside Berger Road and Le Roux Avenue from getting flooded. The project was aimed at addressing the site establishment, construction gabions, construction terms, rehabilitation of the embankment as well as landscaping.
Mazibuko explained that they are currently working on two erosion holes, adding that the first hole was about 70 to 80 per cent complete and the second about 30 per cent complete. “We have been experiencing problems due to the rain. Therefore our overall progress is about 60 per cent complete. The intended due date for the project was March but we are going to have a meeting sometime in February to see whether completing the project in time will be achievable.
“Our set back has been the rain, the contractor builds and then it rains heavily resulting in some parts getting washed away, therefore, making it impossible to continue. The same has happened during rebuilding – sometimes the rain starts again and we cannot work when it is raining as it would also be a danger to the workers – which causes a serious delay.”
Mazibuko asked for patience and assured the residents, especially those with houses next to the flood line that they will finish the project to protect the houses. “We ask residents to bear with the contractors as we are experiencing challenges with the rain so progress is not as quick as we would want it to be; we anticipate much but as one progresses they always need to update their programme to check when they will finish.”
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After following up on the matter, Ward 132 councillor Annette Deppe said that as the ward councillor she does regular check-ups, having meetings with the contractors and engineers on-site to check if they are following due process. “They [the contractors] had three notices from the Environmental and Infrastructure Services Department for violating environmental regulations and have been asked to rectify their mistakes.”
The Johannesburg Environment and Infrastructure Services Department spokesperson Nthatisi Madingoane said that the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CM&E) unit of the department monitors projects implemented by City departments and municipal entities on an ongoing basis.
Madingoane concluded, “The unit provides guidance on environmental matters as best practice in order to try and mitigate environmental impacts during planning and construction activities.
“There was, however, only one internal notice issued by the CM&E for certain activities we were concerned about on the site. The content of the notice is confidential between JRA and CM&E.”
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