Drained from bad repairs

WORK on the storm-water drain running parallel to Empangeni Remedial Schools field has finally started after months of broken promises and less than adequate workmanship.

After the heavy rains experienced two weeks ago, the storm-water drain running next to the school’s field was damaged with parts being totally destroyed.

Zululand Remedial School principal Mr Des Millin explained the situation, ‘For more than a year they have been working on this section of the drain and I was promised it would be completed in September last year.

‘It is a safety and health factor especially with children using the field on a daily basis. The quality of the workmanship and choice of materials is pathetic and a job that should have been done properly once, has been done incorrectly over and over again.’

However, last Thursday saw a municipal contractor draining and clearing the blockages from the storm-water drain allowing the water to flow. Certain parts of the old plastic pipe have also been replaced with stronger concrete pipes and the mounds of vegetation has been cleared and removed.

However, Millin said he watched the progress of the repairs and was very surprised when the whole length of pipe was not replaced with a new, stronger concrete pipe. ‘Only once the job has been completed, will we be able to confidently say the job had been done properly. This is not the first time the drain has been repaired but let’s hope it is the last.’

At the time of going to press the municipality was unavailable to comment.

Read more here: Downpour reveals shoddy work