RESIDENTS of uMgeni Park have raised their frustration and anger over the fibre optic cable laying project in the area. Last week, a water main was damaged on Romsey Grove which led to a burst pipe. Residents were left without water for hours and the road had to be closed in order for the City to repair the damage. The road also had to be closed while contractors worked on the repair.
While the road has been repaired and the water has been turned back on, Durban North ward councillor, Shaun Ryley, said the patience of residents was wearing thin.
“This is beyond a joke now. I’ve dealt with more than eight burst pipes in my ward alone. I understand the argument that the depth of water pipes and electricity lines are not where they are supposed to be, but if this has happened more than five times already, then you would need to dig more carefully. It is clear the pipes are not where they are supposed to be but more care needs to be taken.
“Whether that means they need to stop using pick axes I’m not sure. I’m glad, the company involved, Vumatel are trying to be responsive to residents but some of this damage is preventable.
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“It suggests some degree of negligence from the guys who are doing the digging, who are sub-contracted to Vumatel I believe. That is scant consolation for the residents who are being inconvenienced. They are just not being fair to residents. I completely agree that we need these types of services to have faster Internet connections but more care has to be taken,” he said.
According to Adéle Gräbe, regional fibrehood manager (KZN) for the company scans were done before drilling started.
“However these scans, for several reasons, can be inaccurate (damp soil conditions, clay etc). A water main was damaged during the drilling process. Shaun Ryley suggested that we try issuing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to different department heads, however these were ignored by the municipality. We have tried everything possible to get either dedicated teams on standby, or alternatively municipal-approved contractors to carry out repairs as damages happen. None of our attempts have been successful.
Gräbe added, Vumatel has been largely well-received by the communities where they choose to install infrastructure.
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“Most residents understand the need for the network and choose to make use of what we offer. Every complaint is handled by a dedicated team to make sure that all properties are reinstated to previous condition. Most complaints happen during the civil phase, and once residents understand that Vumatel guarantees reinstatements, unhappy residents turn into happy clients,” she said.
She added the company is invoiced for the repair, and is fined for each damaged service.
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