Several manholes near the Witkoppen Bridge in Fourways have been destroyed, leading to blockages in the system and leaving Johannesburg Water (JW) operations manager Londolani Matumba trying to figure out who is responsible. The damage has caused concern, as manholes play a crucial role in managing the area’s sewage system. “We have a problem here. Apparently, there’s a company digging. I think they’re installing an electric cable.”

According to Matumba, JW infrastructure has been damaged during the digging process. “As you can see, our manhole has been destroyed. That is our main concern.” Matumba said workers on site had managed to clear one blockage and repair a manhole, but several others remain damaged.

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He called on authorities to intervene before further damage occurs. “This is a plea to the office of the councillors, or anyone who can intervene and get to the bottom of this. The responsible parties must acknowledge the existing services.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth Londolani Matumba from Johannesburg Water is seeking help to find the people who damaged their manhole. #Johannesburgwater #fourways ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Explaining the importance of the infrastructure, Matumba said: “This is the main line where all the wastewater flows. It runs from [Witkoppen Bridge] to Pineslopes Mall, collecting wastewater along the way. Then it continues down past the taxi rank and the food vendors, crosses Winnie Mandela Drive, and then crosses over to Fourways Mall.”

Ward 94 councillor David Foley added that the damage has wider consequences for the community. “This sewerage system is impacting Adventure Golf [at Ferndale on Republic], Fairfield Estate, Fourways Gardens, and, eventually, entering the river. You can imagine the stench that accumulates in the dams and surrounding areas. We regularly receive complaints from Adventure Golf. There have been occasions where blockages opened up at Adventure Golf and were cleared, but it’s important to address the root cause to prevent this from happening again.”

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Matumba added that the matter would be escalated to the Department of Customer Care to engage with the company allegedly responsible. “Once we identify the people responsible for the digging, we need to determine the next steps and engage with them. For now, as operations, we will reset the manholes manually. The Department of Customer Care will handle the rest of the matter with the company involved.”

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