What looked like a fun gathering on Balder Road was, in reality, a community at its wits’ end.

Residents and Ward 106 councillor Chris Santana came together around a waterlogged excavation, jokingly dubbing it a ‘pool party’, but the message behind the humour was clear: enough is enough.

Read more: Potholes multiply as water leak forces excavation of Broadacres Drive

The excavation, caused by a recurring pipe burst, has not only remained unresolved for over three and a half years but has also triggered a chain reaction of potholes along the road.

Resident Susan Mattrom said the community had reached a breaking point.
“This started as a small pothole and, due to neglect and poor service delivery, probably the 10th time it’s been ‘fixed’, we now have a massive hole where the cement water pipe is leaking.”

Mattrom explained that the ongoing leak has severely damaged the road surface.
“As a result of the spillage from here, the entire road is full of potholes. We know our councillor has helped on many occasions. People in the area have logged numerous calls with the Johannesburg Roads Agency, and there are reference numbers. Councillor Chris Santana has done the same, and it has been resolved before, but within two weeks, it’s [leaking] again.

Also read: Councillor calls out JW for rotten Sunninghill excavation

“We’re now at the point where this is a danger to the community. There are multiple risks involved, and we would like the city to take it seriously.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth Watch: Susan Mottram and Ward 106 councillor Chris Santana explain how a three-and-a-half-year-old leak turned into a ‘pool’, highlighting repeated failed repairs, worsening potholes and calls for urgent, lasting intervention. Video: Ayanda Ntshingila #Fourways #Ward106 ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

The problem, Santana said, lies not only in delays but in the quality of repairs.

“It was fixed earlier this year, but it burst again. Joburg Water came and dug up the road, but unfortunately, it’s a substandard repair. It’s still leaking. It looks like they’ve just put a clamp on it instead of properly fixing the pipe.”

He added that the consequences are far greater,
“We’re losing water, we’ve got gaping holes in the road again, and potholes all along the street. The community is suffering because issues are not being fixed properly.”

Santana is calling for a more permanent solution.
“I’m appealing to the city to fix issues properly and not leave residents dealing with the same problem over and over again. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

Joburg Water and JRA have been contacted for comment, and more information will be provided once it becomes available. Until then, as residents said, Balder Road’s newest ‘attraction’ remains open, no entry fee required, just a lot of patience.

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