Eastleigh repair work to restart
“With this starting this month, it must have been viewed as an emergency.”
After a site handover meeting, approval came for work to restart at the attenuation chamber on Aitken Road in Eastleigh Ridge.
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This June 21 handover meeting was at the exposed stormwater infrastructure near the corner of Aitken Road and Da Gama Avenue.
Present at the meeting were Ward 19 Ald Bill Rundle, consultant Tsianeo Malange of Shuma Africa, contractor Mokgadi Rapetsoa of HLTC (Pty) Ltd and the CoE’s project manager Frank Phahlamohlaka from the Department of Roads and Stormwater.
In early 2020, the attenuation chamber collapsed.
Rundle attributed it to the large volumes of water diverted from Greenstone into Edenvale through the chamber.
He said the chamber was not designed to cope with so much water and subsequently collapsed.
Over time, the hole created by the collapse grew as soil eroded, causing frustration in the community because it seemed that repairs would not happen.
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Although work on the project started last year, it stalled at the end of November after the contractor abandoned the project.
In April, the CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told Bedfordview and Edenvale News that the previous contractor appointed last year abandoned the site.
He said the city would appoint a new contractor so that work could start the following month.
At the time, Dlamini said the CoE had spent R895 787.32 on the project. Another R600 000 is needed to complete it.
Rundle said the request for a site handover meeting came as a surprise to him.
“Many projects or new projects are being deferred to July 1 because that is when the city’s new budget takes effect,” said Rundle.
“With this starting this month, it must have been viewed as an emergency.”
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Malange said that before completing the project, the contractor must lay a new foundation slab and re-lay pipes.
Malange, who is waiting on drawings, said once they were approved, removing the old pipes would begin. After that, they could work on the slab would start.
He suggested the top slab of the chamber be installed with a grid at ground level so that any groundwater or rainwater could flow freely into the chamber.
Malange said because the work was considered an emergency, he hoped the project would be finished within two weeks after it started.
Work will take place from Mondays to Fridays between 07:00 and 17:00.
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Malange said the sites would be barricaded and have the necessary signage erected.
Because of the heavy traffic on Aitken Road, Phahlamohlaka suggested creating a traffic management plan such as a stop-and-go system.
Because of the history of the damaged infrastructure, Rundle requested frequent in-person site meetings.
The stakeholders agreed that weekly meetings would happen once the project had started.
Work will continue in the park near the attenuation chamber to ensure all stormwater infrastructure is connected correctly and to properly decommission non-functioning stormwater infrastructure.
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With the site camp likely to be established in the park, Rundle highlighted the importance of its rehabilitation once the project was complete.
After the contractor abandoned the site, a pile of gravel, concrete pipes, metal grids and open excavation were left in the park.
“Hopefully, the site will not be left like it was by the previous contractor,” said Phahlamohlaka
