Athlone Park bank erosion leaves questions
Both the sewage and stormwater departments have come out to inspect the damage but both have declared it is not their problem.
Residents in Athlone Park are at their wits’ end after a washaway decimated their Dawn Place properties after the 10 October storm.
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Doug Isherwood said the problem started about 15 months ago when eThekwini Municipality failed to fix the sewer line adequately after the main holes started to leak.
“They tried numerous solutions to secure the line about four to five months ago,” he said. “They even built a retainer wall.”
When water started damming, a second retainer wall was built on the first to allow the water to run off. Since that was completed in December, no further work has been done on the site.
The solution was a temporary one and with each small storm, the water slowly but surely eroded the bank. Doug continually warned the municipality that when the year-end heavy rains came, it would cause a washaway.
His warnings went unheeded and when the might of the 10 October storm struck, the whole bank collapsed within two hours, along with the retainer walls, most of the Isherwoods’ front yard, their wall, plants and part of the neighbour’s electric fence. The sewage line has been left dangling precariously in mid-air.
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Part of the Isherwoods’ swimming pool has also been left hanging in the air and it is a matter of time before that too joins the retaining walls down the precipice.
Their neighbour, John Scott was forced to move his electric fence back twice due to the slow erosion of the bank. “It’s been very stressful,” he said. “It would be better if the municipality would let us know what they are going to do about it. I don’t know how they are to repair the bank with the gradient.”
Doug has sent numerous correspondence to the municipality and ward 93 councillor, Thabisile Zungu. They have not only not replied, but not acknowledged receipt thereof.
Both the sewage and stormwater departments have come out to inspect the damage but both have declared it is not their problem.
He has since heard from his attorney that the municipality’s stormwater design department is dealing with the problem but the person in charge is currently on leave.
The Isherwoods were in the process of renovating their home to put it on the market, as they have purchased a house in Cape Town and were hoping to relocate. Sadly, they have had to put their plans on hold until the repair to the bank has been completed.
The SUN sent queries to eThekwini Municipality and ward 93 councillor, Thabisile Zungu about when repairs to the washaway will begin, but no response was forthcoming.
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