EDITOR – I read the article published in the February 26 edition regarding the missing manhole cover with interest and can confirm that I had reported the matter to the Roads and Storm Water Department on Thursday, February 20.
The resident did not state whether she had reported the matter.
The metro inspected it on the Friday morning after and then did the required repair and restitution work the same afternoon.
This is an exceptional turnaround time and they are to be commended for the prompt response.
The question of speed humps in Madge Avenue has never been raised or applied for by the residents there.
Only a small piece of the road from Park Street to Samuel Street is used by motorists visiting the school to drop the children off as Park Street becomes a one way from Lily to Dunvegan avenues during 7am and 8am in the mornings, and then again from 12noon and 2pm in the afternoons.
Most of the school traffic is centred around Lily, Sheila and Park avenues.
I am sure by now the resident has seen all the speed humps, additional traffic lines and signage put up around the school by the metro and the school itself.
Speeding down Madge Avenue is due to some of the careless and reckless drivers from Harry and Madge roads itself, which has nothing to do with the school.
Many of those drivers have been reported to the enforcement unit of the EMPD for failing to stop at designated stop signs leading into Park and Lily avenues.
The Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS did a survey at one of the stop streets and only 18 out of 64 drivers stopped there.
Speed humps may be applied for and can take up to three years to implement after application, assessment, evaluation and approval by the technical staff of the municipality.
The process is also subject to budgete requirements.
The EMPD enforcement unit is now doing daily patrols around the school and fining errant motorists who have chosen to ignore the requests of parents and the school for more care.
The recent incident comes to mind where a male parent threatened a young child-going scholar patrol with physical violence, as an example of the attitude of some parents.
It is important that residents report service delivery issues to the metro or directly to me for attention, as soon as they become aware of it.
Ward 19 stretches from Gillooly’s Farm in the west to Aitken and Palliser roads in Eastleigh.
The area is vast and it is physically impossible for the metro and, for that matter myself, to always locate and record all service delivery issues.
Contributions and participation by the residents is very important.
My user-friendly help desk facility as per the link www.treesquirrel.co.za/joomticket is there specifically to assist residents in reporting matters at no cost to them.
I do have a few residents who report issues on a regular basis throughout the ward.
Statistics from own reporting show roads with pot hole repairs and maintenance, water leaks from burst pipes and leaking water meters, electricity with street lights and vandalism to metro distribution boxes and fittings, unkempt parks and verges are the most reported on items.
BILL RUNDLE
WARD 19 COUNCILLOR
EDENVALE
Letter received February 27.
