A WESTVILLE family is living with fear after a section of their boundary wall and carport collapsed during heavy storms on September 17 and 18.

Homeowner Jason Govender believes that this was caused by excavation work linked to a SA National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) construction project on St James Avenue.

He said the work next to his property had compromised the stability of his boundary wall, leaving his family with significant damage and concerns about their safety.

Govender said contractors had been excavating several metres below the level of his property’s foundation without adequate lateral support. “They started digging before putting lateral support which is what they have done on the other side of the road. A few more storms and my whole wall will be gone,” he said.

Also read: Pitbull injured in wall collapse

According to Govender, construction work in the area has been ongoing, on and off, for about eight years. He said the situation became worse after drainage infrastructure was removed as part of the construction.

“There is no safety officer on site. There are exposed live cables, and even the workers walk up and down the site with these cables exposed,” he said.

The longstanding Westville resident said the construction has also resulted in disruptions to electricity at times.

“I have now been deprived of my parking. My wife’s car was hanging on a thin thread when the wall collapsed. We were very lucky that it was not damaged,” he said.

He believes the damage could have been prevented if his property had been properly secured before excavation work began. “If they had at least safeguarded my property before digging, we wouldn’t have this problem,” he said.

Govender said the construction has also affected his family’s health and quality of life.

“My wife suffers from asthma and uses a pump, the dust is not good for her health. We also have to put up with lots of noise. My house is forever dirty because of the dust,” he said.

Following the collapse, Govender was forced to install a temporary fence to protect his grandchildren and pets. “When the wall fell, I had to put up a fence as I have grandchildren and fur babies,” he said.

He added that three properties in the area have been affected by the construction.

The Highway Mail sent several emails to SANRAL for comment. The response from its media relations manager, Lwando Mahlasela, was, “Thank you for your query, we are attending to it.”

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