Road collapse imminent in Ferndale

Portions of Surrey Avenue, Ferndale, are collapsing. As soon as the summer rain arrives, it is believed that the problem will “practically be impossible to fix”. Ever since a 450mm-diametre storm water pipe burst in February, sections of the road between Dover and Bond streets have been eroding away.

The largest hole lies outside Nu-Hold, the company where Dirk Botha and Laki Constantinides work. “The whole of this road is about to collapse,” Botha said. Constantinides said that the Johannesburg Roads Agency is “grossly underestimating the problem” because “once the rainy season is here it will be practically impossible to fix”, and “people can die”.

They explained that when it rains again, huge portions of the road will break away and a large river will form in the street. Entrances to business parks on the East side of the road will be blocked, and residents living in complexes on the West side of the road, who are walking in the street, could fall in the river and drown.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency has patched a number of holes in the road, and plans to start a repair project either this year or next. “The managing director of the JRA [Skhumbuzo Macozoma] approved the recommendation that the reconstruction of the estimated 200m of the 450mm storm water pipe be included for implementation in the 2014/2015 emergency storm water budget,” said the agency’s spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers. “Currently, the appointment of consultants is in progress and construction will continue after the design has been finalised.”

Ward 102 councillor David Potter confirmed that conducting a project of this magnitude will take time, and, although the agency’s reinstatements (reconstructions of damaged parts of roads) “are not being done correctly or in good time”, he hopes the agency will start work soon.

Details: Johannesburg Roads Agency hotline@jra.org.za, 011 298 5001; Ward 102 councillor David Potter david@oursuburb.co.za