Monday, September 12 saw a joint operation by City of Johannesburg entities to clean up Albertina Sisulu Road in Ward 85 at the Princess informal settlement.
The purpose of the multi-departmental initiative was to clear the illegal dumping, sewer as well as the storm water drains so that JRA could start the long-awaited repairs to the severely damaged road.
According to Ward 71 councillor Rene Benjamin, teams from Joburg Water, JRA, Pikitup, City Power and Building Control attended to the large pool of water on Albertina Sisulu Road that has developed because of the blocked sewerage system.
She said that the flooding in the area made it difficult for motorists to use the road.
“They have dug to find the leaks as there are more than one. Pikitup also had to remove rubble from the sidewalks to try and find the manhole to see where the blockages are. The team leader said the issue is that a lot of the dwellers’ toilets are above the manholes and everything goes down and causes blockages in the system. I joined the teams on site. Ward 85 councillor Zoné Hughes would have been present but she has not been well,” said Benjamin.
The Record previously reported on the flooded section of the road in Ward 85 that affects all the road users from across a number of wards and municipalities.
Pikitup will hold a meeting to determine if skip bins could be placed again to help alleviate the illegal dumping that plagues the area.
While the Joburg Water Sanitation Department regularly unblocks the drains on the road, JRA has not been able to repair the road as it is never dry enough.
“Councillor Hughes and I will continue the fight until we finally get the road sorted,” said Benjamin.
