Water leaks flood Benoni CBD streets
A Benoni shop owner says repeated underground leaks are flooding the streets and damaging infrastructure, with no lasting fix in sight.
Benoni businessman Brian Adams has raised concerns over ongoing underground water leaks on Prince’s and Cranbourne avenues in the Benoni CBD.
Adams, the owner of the Kleinfontein Cycle Appliance Centre, said the leaks cause flooding, damage road infrastructure and waste thousands of litres of water daily.
“This is unacceptable. It’s a waste of water and money. It’s unfair on residents because we bear the brunt of the municipality’s shortcomings,” he said.
According to Adams, he has reported the issue several times, but instead of providing a permanent fix, municipal workers merely patch the affected areas. Feedback indicated the issue was resolved, but water resurfaced days later.
“I’ve reported this many times. Each time, they say it’s resolved, but after a day or two, the water is back again,” he said.
When the Benoni City Times visited the area on June 24, water was visibly seeping through the tar outside Adams’ shop on Prince’s Avenue, flowing into Wilstead Street. On the opposite side of the road, another leak had formed a pool at the intersection, where the municipality had placed barricades around a waterlogged hole apparently caused by underground seepage.
Further leaks were visible on Cranbourne Avenue, where water also streamed through the tar and continued downhill on Wilstead Street.
Adams said he is equally concerned about the resulting damage to road infrastructure, particularly at the intersection of Prince’s Avenue and Wilstead Street, as well as the corner of Wilstead Street and Cranbourne Avenue.
“The problem is that council isn’t sending professionals to do the job. They just patch. And there are no inspectors signing off the work,” he said.
He also criticised the municipality for failing to maintain grassed areas in parts of the CBD.
“It’s disgusting and deflating. Officials are supposed to serve the people. Right now, it feels like council is playing politics instead of doing their jobs,” he said.
The Benoni City Times has sent a media query to the municipality and awaits a response.
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