Safety concerns mount over sinking road in Primrose

Residents of Primrose have raised serious concerns about the condition of Oak Avenue, where a section of the road has undulations. Currently, one lane has significantly dipped, making the road uneven and unsafe for motorists.

“Drivers, particularly at night, risk damaging their vehicles or being involved in accidents because the collapse is not clearly visible,” said Ward 92 councillor Kade Guerreiro.

“The pipes beneath the road form part of the Rand Water pipeline network. Although the project was completed before the current administration, the deteriorating road condition now presents a serious safety hazard,” he said.

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“Oak Avenue has a history of burst sewer lines and recurring road subsidence. These underlying infrastructure issues contribute to the ongoing deterioration.

“If the matter is not urgently addressed, the area could face the risk of a sinkhole forming, which would pose a significant danger to residents and result in far greater repair costs for the City,” said Guerreiro.

The road carries a high volume of heavy truck traffic, as it connects to Lazarus Mawela Road (formerly known as Barbara Road) and lower Primrose. It is also frequently used by scholar transport vehicles, as Itembelihle Primary School is located just up the road.

Local resident Sfiso Mabuza said he uses the road daily to travel to work and described the situation as dangerous.

“When you drive in the left lane and reach the collapsed section, you are forced to suddenly turn right into oncoming traffic. That’s an accident waiting to happen,” said Mabuza.

“If you are not familiar with the road, you are in serious trouble. You cannot stop abruptly in front of it. It is like a sudden pothole; if you don’t react quickly, you risk swerving and hitting another vehicle or object,” added Mabuza.

The City of Ekurhuleni confirmed to GCN that it had conducted an inspection following the publication, which raised residents’ concerns with the municipality.

In an email response to media enquiries, the City stated: “The Chief Engineer conducted an inspection and found that the undulations are due to heavy traffic, and some areas show signs of dipping.”

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However, the CoE disputed allegations that the problem may be linked to a collapsed pipe, adding: “There are no signs of a collapsed pipe, but further intensive investigations must be conducted to determine whether there are any underlying causes of the undulations.”

“At this juncture, no potential risk has been identified. The Department of Roads will conduct a thorough assessment of the undulations to determine whether there are any defects related to infrastructure collapse,” said the City’s spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini.

When asked what measures had been put in place to secure the affected area, Dlamini said none had been implemented at this stage, as there were no severe defects warranting the site’s closure or securing. He added that no alternative routes have been proposed.

“Should the undulation develop into a sinkhole, guidance will be provided,” he said.

“Thorough investigations must first be conducted, and a report will provide guidance on possible interventions. Timelines and other project-related matters will be communicated thereafter,” said Guerreiro.