WATCH: Extensive damage to Melrose Avenue following ‘cable laying’
However, the company involved in laying the cable says temporary fixes to the water pipe has caused further damage.
SEVERAL burst pipes and a partial road collapse have left residents of Melrose Avenue irate. The driveways on the residential road have been undermined by the burst pipes with one resident losing a large part of the road outside his home. Part of his boundary wall also collapsed. Residents and Durban North ward councillor, Shaun Ryley, say the damage done to the road would not have occurred had there been no cable laying.
In the last two weeks there has been more than three burst water pipes which was exacerbated by last week’s storm.
However, the company involved in laying the cable says temporary fixes by the City to the water pipe has caused further damage. The company’s Adele Grabe of Vumatel said they had reached out to residents and posted a 24-hour guard. They have also assisted in the clean-up of flood damage.
Read also: Councillor slams fibre laying companies
“We have not been billed for any damages in Melrose Avenue. In other areas where service damages occurred, our contractors have been billed. Service damages can’t always be avoided due to cables and pipes moving over time, and not being buried at the indicated depths. Vumatel and our contractors are not allowed by eThekwini Municipality to carry out repairs on the municipal grid. We have to report damages to the fault reporting line like the general public, and have to wait for a team to be dispatched.
“Slow response times have caused many issues that could have been avoided if action was taken earlier and as required. In the case of Melrose Avenue, municipal teams keep applying temporary repairs, which keep failing. To date a permanent fix has not yet been applied, which can cause even further damage. We have several civil teams in the field at any given time installing infrastructure. We have approached the municipality to request that our own teams be given permission to fix damages temporarily until permanent fixes can be applied, or alternatively have a dedicated municipal team which we are willing to be invoiced for, but to date have been unsuccessful,” she said.
Read also: Glen Anil driveway damaged by cable laying
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