City ‘neglect’ sees Buccleuch residents step up
BUCCLEUCH – Earlier this month, this association took on the responsibility to clear out the area around the bridge on Bridge Road in East of Buccleuch
The Buccleuch Residents Association has taken the maintenance of the suburb into their own hands.
Earlier this month, this association took on the responsibility to clear out the area around the bridge on Bridge Road, east of Buccleuch. According to the association’s director, Lauren Nightingale every time it storms the spruit water level raises which often causes the bridge to flood.
“With that comes the aftermath of the debris and mud on the bridge and under the bridge. We were advised by our ward councillor [Bongani Nkomo] that the entity [Johannesburg Roads Agency] would send someone out to do an inspection of the bridge after the storm,” she said.
Days passed with no sign of any City contractors so the association had two of their employees clear out the area. “There are only two exits out of Buccleuch east so we have to have that as an open road.”
She added that the suburb had struggled with service delivery in the area for quite some time now which is why the association employed two people to maintain the area. “Grass cutting, bridge clean-ups, road clearing – they do it all. We don’t have any allocation from the City so these two guys do everything for us three to four days a week,” Nightingale added.
The bridge itself has, however, remained a constant concern for the residents. Ward 32 councillor Bongani Nkomo acknowledged that major improvements were required for the bridge and the surrounding area. “Raising the bridge and the redesign of the bank will address most of the issues,” he said.
Nkomo noted that in 2017, the agency had emphasised that it was ‘committed to finalising the rehabilitation of the bridge’. At the time, the agency had said the rehabilitation designs for the bridge were in progress and construction was estimated to be completed in the same year, added Nkomo. Three years later and the bridge had seen no change.
In response, agency spokesperson Mosa Makhalima noted that not only did the relevant depot clear the debris around the bridge but the bridge was also regularly inspected.
While Makhalima was unable to provide a specific date of when the clean-up was done by the City, the association confirmed that they cleared the area on 6 and 7 October.
Makhalima added that the designs for the bridge were completed but construction might only begin next year. “There is currently no adequate budget to commence with construction,” he said.
However, in July this year, the City outlined its municipal budget for the 2020/2021 financial year. Of the R68.1-billion total budget, the City set aside R440 million for the construction and upgrading of bridges.
“The manner in which the City has handled the construction of the bridge is indicative of the neglect of the area and the ward as a whole. “The City has been provided with all the necessary information and incidents relating to the bridge and they continue to take a reactive approach,” claimed Nkomo.
With no indication of when or if the bridge will be attended to, the residents will continue to maintain the suburb themselves.
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