Residents angered by road resurfacing project
Company behind resurfacing of the roads in the area speaks out.
THE state of several roads in Durban North and Sunningdale which had recently been resurfaced has outraged several residents. Residents have called into question the workmanship of the resurfacing project which has seen several manhole covers in the area completely tarred over. Another complaint is the loose stones which litter the resurfaced roads. According to Durban North ward councillor, Shaun Ryley, one resident was involved an accident because of the loose stones left behind.
“A resident who was on his bike fell off after slipping on the loose stones on the road, he was quite badly injured in the accident. Residents are unhappy with the finish and the workmanship. Some of the roads almost look like they need another layer of tar. In many patches, the tar has been eroded and on more than one occasion, several manhole covers have been covered,” he said.
Barry Blunt, general manager of contracting for Colas, the company responsible for the resurfacing allayed residents’ fears saying the structural integrity of the roads had not been compromised.
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“We are making adjustments continuously, to ensure faster drying as well as delaying the opening of roads to ensure that they are adequately dry. We will also sweep off loose material where necessary. We have had a technical expert out to assess the work, and while in some places finish is not aesthetically pleasing, the structural integrity of the final surface has not been compromised. The surfacing being applied is not a hot mix asphalt and as such will never have that appearance,” Blunt said.
On the issue of manholes being covered, Blunt explained this too would be resolved.
“We are required to recruit locals from each ward as we move between them. This means we are training new teams every few days rather than using our experienced crews. Additional emphasis, training and inspection is now taking place to avoid future occurrences. All manholes covered will be cleaned. We have brought in additional supervisory staff to ensure that matters are addressed, and that quality work prevails. We appreciate the concerns and feedback from the public and assure them that every one is investigated fully, and remedial action carried out according to our contract specifications,” he said.
He added if residents had concerns they could contact the contract manager, Evasen Govindasamy on 031 468 5268.
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