A step in the right direction for servitudes

Community members and businesses can look forward to improvements of Eastleigh Spruit with rehabilitation work of Central Avenue Bridge underway.

The work which recently started will see 20m of concrete embankments installed on either side of the bridge and the section of spruit between Homestead Road and the N3 cleaned.

Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle said the project should reduce soil erosion around the bridge and allow for easier flow of water underneath it.

According to Rundle’s knowledge, the municipality started looking into improving the bridge in 2004.

Also read: #GoodNews – Process of rehabilitating Eastleigh Spruit underway

Since then the town has endured several floods, with the most severe occurring in November 2016.

Several businesses were forced to shut down, residents’ houses were filled with water, children were washed out of their homes and the floods claimed the life of Caroline Sithole and her unborn child.

Following the floods, Eastleigh Businesses Fluid Power, Propshaft Master and Wieland SA approached Johannesburg High Court, which ruled in favour of the businesses and ordered the municipality to repair the spruit near their property.

“I am very pleased to see work on the spruit has commenced, these improvements are a step in the right direction and essential.

“It is good to see the municipality making good on its promises, the improvements should restore the community’s, and my faith, in the municipality.”

Rundle said with the increase of development in Meadowdale and Tunney improving, Edenvale’s stormwater servitudes were a necessity.

Also read: Eastleigh home sliding into spruit

Douglas Sithole, the community liaison officer of the Central Avenue project, told the NEWS onsite the project was going well.

Rundle said the Central Road Bridge improvement forms part of a larger project which will see several stormwater servitudes in Edenvale and Bedfordview improved.

“From what I am aware, R350-million was allocated for improvements of the servitudes over the next five years.”

Community members are invited to have their say about proposed improvements for stormwater infrastructure in Bedfordview and Edenvale.

The proposal will hopefully see remediation and rehabilitation of the upper Jukskei Catchment Area.

This area includes 10 priority sections where tributaries of the Jukskei River flowing through the areas of Illiondale, Edenvale, St Andrew’s, Marais Steyn Park, Essexwood, Sebenza, Highway Gardens and Bedfordview.

Also read: Watch: Eastleigh Spruit, Jukskei flow strong after rains

The purpose of the proposed rehabilitation is to stabilise the river banks and reduce the risk of erosion and flooding to existing and future developments, as well as to conserve and promote the health of the various river systems.

Specific rivers and servitudes the proposal hopes to address are located:

• near the corner of Laurie and Margaret roads, Illiondale;

• near the corner of Cecil Awret and Dunbar roads, Illiondale;

• between Saner and Laurie roads, Illiondale;

• between First and Sixth avenues, Edenvale;

• between Willow Crescent and Boeing Road, St Andrew’s;

• between First Avenue and Bauhinia Crescent, Marias Steyn Park;

• downstream of Boeing Road, Essexwold;

• between Terrace and Cecil Awret roads, Sebenza;

• Cunningham Road and Wood Avenue, Highway Gardens; and

• northwest of Gillooly’s Dam.

The draft report will be available for review and comment until June 9 at the following locations:

• Hardcopy at Edenvale Library – Van Riebeeck Avenue, Edenvale.

• Hardcopy at Linbro Park Library – 108 Hilton Road, Linbro Park.

• Hardcopy at River Park Library – Sheridan Road, Lombardy East.

An electronic copy can be downloaded from https://www.advisian.com/en-gb/stakeholder-engagement

Parties wishing to participate in the project’s PPP are welcome to register as an interested and affected party with the advising environmental consultant, Liezel Hattingh.

Hattingh cnbe contacted at liezel.hattingh@advisian.com or on 010 593 3937/3936.

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