Riverside residents fix what JW couldn’t
Despite residents' repeated requests, JW didn't take action to fix a water leak, or backfill an excavation, in Riverside. With frustration mounting, the residents decided to take matters into their own hands, fixing the leak and closing the excavation, for JW to find it already completed when they eventually arrived.
“Our kids are going to fall and drown.” These were the words of Agnes Maimela, who’s concerns echoed those of many parents who used to live near an open excavation in Riverside, just outside Fourways.
For Puleng Mabuea, this fear became a harsh reality, when her child fell into an excavation in April last year. The excavation in question was in the Clay Oven Informal Settlement, in Paulshof. Johannesburg Water (JW), apparently, repaired a pipe burst, in January last year, but didn’t close the excavation, leading to the child falling in the hole.
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As for the Riverside excavation, Maimela said they reached out to the water utility, hoping for swift action, for them to come and repair the leak. However, the water utility only arrived to assess the situation, leaving the residents frustrated as no further action was taken.
The excavation was full of water, so much so, that it had started to change to a green colour, with white foam.
“The water was eventually going smell, because it is near green grass. We were also afraid that some people would dispose of their litter in there, which is an environmental hazard,” said Koketso Maimela.
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Maimela said, for almost two years, they were trying to get JW to come and fix the leak, and then backfill the excavation, but nothing came of it.
“We decided, as a community, to raise the money so that we could fix it ourselves. We were told that it is expensive. Not everyone could afford [to contribute], as many of our residents survive from social grants and pensions. We also tried to reduce the amount of water in the excavation, taking it out with buckets, because it was so dangerous for our kids. The hole was about six feet. We were frustrated as a community.”
That frustration turned to action as the community managed to raise enough money to purchase the pipe to repair the leak. After stopping the flow of water, the community closed the hole, completing work on April 20, and making it safe again for their community.
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In an ironic turn of event, Nolwazi Dlamini, from JW, said the JW team was on site, after April 20, but they found no hole to repair. They left with egg on their faces, seeing as the community did their work for them.
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