A massive sewage leak has been polluting a local stream running through Wilgeheuwel since the second week in December.
According to City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Clr Theo Doyle, who has been liaising with and asserting pressure on the various CoJ departments to orchestrate the necessary repairs, damage to a groundwater culvert in Shampanje Street, Wilgeheuwel was likely caused by a combination of heavy rains and heavy traffic because this street was used as an alternative route during the time that a section of Hendrik Potgieter Road was closed off while undergoing repairs.
“The culvert collapsed during about the second week of December, severely damaging a main sewer pipe that runs across the stream, and making the bridge over the stream extremely unsafe,” says Doyle. “I was contacted by residents after weeks of trying to get help from the local authorities. Initially, I didn’t want to stray out of my assigned area, but I felt that something needed to be done to help,” Doyle said.
During a visit to the site on January 24, the Roodepoort Northsider witnessed the damage to the bridge, the danger it poses to motorists, and the scale of the pollution caused by raw sewage running into the stream. In addition, a power pylon right next to the bridge is in danger of collapsing partly due to the collapsed culvert, and partly due to the erosion caused by the flow of sewage from the broken pipe.
“I’ve had the city engineers out to assess the damage to the bridge,” said Doyle. “Unfortunately it is likely not going to be a quick fix. They have removed the collapsed culvert, and a new one needs to be installed. Thereafter, the bridge will have to be completely redone. Unfortunately, none of this can be done until the sewage pipe is repaired. We cannot have this kind of pollution go on for this long unchecked. It is not only bad for the health of residents, but it also affects the whole ecosystem along the run of the stream that eventually runs into the Hartbeespoort Dam.”
Doyle, who has become deeply involved in helping the local community with a wide variety of issues, including cable theft and the securing of mini substations, is full of praise for local community organisations as well as residents in Northside, praising them for their active citizenship and will to make a difference.
“Shortly after I became involved in trying to get the bridge in Shampanje Street repaired, I received a call from the local ward councillor, upset at my ‘interference’ in ‘his’ ward. I assured the councillor that if he had been busy here in the first place, then I would not need to be,” Doyle said.
Meanwhile, the issue continues to plague the local community, causing a horrible smell to hang in the air, and many residents are highly frustrated at the much worse commute caused by the closure of the road.
“I am in constant contact with the relevant authorities and I assure the local community that everything humanly possible is being done to resolve this issue,” Doyle concluded.
