Germina Shashape was crossing Louis Botha Avenue on her way to work on 27 November last year when her foot slipped into a hole on the raised central island running down the centre of the arterial road to accommodate the new Rea Vaya bus lanes.
Shashape said she was too busy checking for taxis to notice the hole until she stepped into it, breaking the heel off her shoe and sustaining an injury to her shin. With the help of employees at a nearby petrol station, she crossed the road to safety, and later received treatment for her wound at Edenvale General Hospital. While the leg was not fractured, it swelled considerably, and the open wound on her shin has subsequently become infected, requiring continued treatment more than a month after the incident.
While Shashape’s injury is slowly healing, she said the necessity of receiving treatment caused her to miss work, and she has subsequently lost her job. Desperate for help with her situation, she is hoping to receive recompense from the Johannesburg Development Agency.
Siyabonga Genu, senior development manager at the Johannesburg Development Agency stated that the agency had received no other reports of injuries caused to pedestrians in similar incidents along Louis Botha Avenue.
“The fence holes are not created on pedestrian walkways, so is highly improbable that they could pose a danger,” commented Genu, who has undertaken to contact Shashape in order to investigate the incident.
The hole in question, opened in preparation for the construction of a barrier to prevent pedestrians from crossing Louis Botha Avenue, except at designated crossing points, was filled shortly afterwards.
“Some of the holes are closed temporarily to avoid sand getting in as the fence installation will only commence next year,” said Genu.
