Poor service delivery frustrates Buccleuch residents

According to Buccleuch resident, Tracy Anandham, the lower bridge has been there for over 20 years.

The community has been impacted significantly every time the bridge washed away or there were heavy rains. There are only two exits in Buccleuch, when the bridge is closed and residents are unable to use it to exit, this causes strain and immense pressure on the one open exit on Gibson and Old Pretoria road exits.

Residents have to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic for extended periods to get to work and drop their children off at school on time. Several by-laws are infringed, and frustrated residents and taxis drive on the wrong side of the roads which leads to road rage.

“The Buccleuch suburb experiences chaos and criminal activity when the bridge is closed due to dangerous conditions and lack of activity. Residents have appealed for a review of entrance and exit points to Johannesburg Road Agency(JRA), but no proposal has been made,” said Anandham, Buccleuch community member.

The community rallied together and placed a huge amount of pressure on repairing and re-opening the bridge when it was declared unsafe and closed a few months back. The councillors acted on behalf of the residents and arranged for an interim solution to re-open the bridge and ensure it was safe to commute over. The bridge was cleaned up, debris was removed, the tar was re-surfaced and within a few weeks the work was completed and the bridge was deemed safe for passage after it was closed for a few months. This was an interim solution to restore calm and alleviate the pressure of traffic congestion in Buccleuch.

“The councillors are actively involved in the community’s bridge repairs, but there has been no progress or feedback. Residents are furious and demand safe, reliable infrastructure. They urge urgent attention to the bridge’s permanent repair and have budgeted for structural repairs and bridge raising,” added Anandham.

Mosa Makhalima, the spokesperson of JRA said, ” The process of finalising fixing the lower bridge is going to take some time. Training Depo is busy with designs, and fixing the bridge may time, it can not be a two days process”.

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https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/330362/no-more-power-cuts-for-traffic-lights-in-sandton/