Heavy rainfall over the past weekend once again flooded the Stoffberg Avenue subway. Although the subway has experienced flooding for many years, deteriorating road conditions, including an eroding surface and potholes, have now made it a significant hazard to motorists.

The Brakpan Herald accompanied Ward 97 Clr Brandon Pretorius on a site visit to the subway on January 27 with the City of Ekurhuleni’s Roads and Transport Management Department.

It was confirmed that the persistent flooding and water seepage along Stoffberg Avenue is not caused by surface rainwater alone, but by a failure within the stormwater infrastructure located above the road. The stormwater line along Station Road that was reconstructed is still clear and operational.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the concrete stormwater canal adjacent to the railway line has deteriorated and may be partially collapsed resulting in stormwater infiltrating the surrounding soil,” said Pretorius.

“This trapped water is then forced through the pavement layers and emerges at road level which explains why the problem persists even after repeated resurfacing works.”

It was further observed that weep holes intended to relieve hydrostatic pressure behind the retaining wall are no longer functioning, largely because successive resurfacing has raised the road level and sealed these outlets.

“This has allowed water pressure to build up behind the structure accelerating damage to the road,” said Pretorius.

“Crucially, the assessment confirmed that the road will need to be milled and dug out to a depth of approximately 200mm in the affected section to allow for proper repair of the underlying drainage system. Simply resurfacing the road without addressing the drainage failure beneath will not resolve the flooding.”

According to Pretorius, the required intervention includes a full structural assessment of the stormwater canal, removal of debris and blockages, reinstatement of proper drainage, and the restoration of pressure-relief mechanisms to prevent water from migrating through the road structure.

“I have engaged the department to ensure temporary measures are in place to ensure the road remains usable for now. I can assure residents that I am pushing this matter as hard as possible,” he said.

“I have engaged directly with the city manager and will continue to escalate the issue until a permanent, engineered solution is implemented.

“It is clear what needs to be done and I will not allow this matter to be treated as a short-term patch-up exercise.
The road needs to be repaired and the consistent flooding needs to stop.”

Freedom Front Plus PR Clr Riaan van Zyl called for immediate and decisive action from the city to address the dangerous decay of the subway.

“Last weekend’s heavy rain exacerbated the situation. The condition of the subway is no longer just an inconvenience, it poses a direct danger to the safety of everyone using it,” he said.

“Residents deserve better than the quick fix of closing the subway every time it rains. They deserve a permanent solution and full accountability from the authorities.”

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