Residents and motorists in Paulshof are facing renewed traffic disruptions following another excavation at the Witkoppen Road and Achter Road intersection, with Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy calling for a lasting repair.

The repeated excavation of a section of Witkoppen Road has left residents frustrated, with traffic congestion worsening as the road remains closed while repairs are awaited. “Residents are quite frustrated at this happening all the time,” said Reddy. “With Witkoppen Road being closed the way it is, it’s causing a major inconvenience to residents and motorists alike.”

Read more: Councillor calls out JW for rotten Sunninghill excavation

Reddy said the congestion was already affecting travel times, explaining that it took him 25 minutes to travel from Rivonia Road to Achter Road on Tuesday. “It is a big problem,” he said.

Reddy said he had contacted the manager at the Zandfontein depot to ask that the backfilling process be expedited. However, he was told that the matter was still under consideration and that staff shortages linked to the current South African Municipal Workers’ Union action were affecting the response to service-related issues. “There are other emergencies in the ward that also demand attention at the moment,” said the manager. “We’re just waiting to hear from Johannesburg Water what the way forward is.”

According to Reddy, Johannesburg Water had indicated that the hole would be drained, filled with fresh soil and compacted using a crusher to make the road usable again.

The work was expected to be completed within the following day or two, although this was dependent on the relevant teams’ response. “The excavation is at the same spot because this is where the pipeline ends, but the leak itself is in a slightly different area,” he explained.

Also read: Paulshof residents upset about Stonehaven and Brackenhill streets excavation

While he was uncertain about the exact cause of the renewed leak, Reddy suspected there could have been more than one problem with the pipe. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the work was carried out properly to prevent further disruptions and additional repair costs. “We need to ensure that workmanship is top-notch. Otherwise, we end up in situations like this where you have to dig up a major road.”

Johannesburg Water was reached out to for comment. An update will be provided once the information has been received.
The City of Johannesburg promised to revert regarding the shutdown protest of the municipal workers across the city.

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