FOR two months, life in Harvard Street in Rhodesfield was brought to a halt by construction machinery as contractors installed water and sewerage pipes, leaving residents desperate for water in the area and unable to access their front yards.
Residents say the construction that was due to be completed on October 28, has long passed and news about the extension of the deadline has surfaced. It is said the new deadline is December 9.
Residents said they were only informed on the morning the roadworks began. They said since September 21, when the roadworks began, the neighbourhood was also struck by several water outages.
“On September 21, Harvard Street residents and road users came home to a nasty surprise. The unexpected reconstruction of the whole street and even the professionally paved driveways were bulldozed to debris.
“It was difficult for homeowners to enter their properties after the construction workers went home,” said Hettie Smit, a property owner in the street.
Smit said the situation got worse in the days that followed. “The excavation covered the whole Harvard Street and deepened to 50cm. Driveways and water pipes were wrecked during the construction.”
She said the situation also affected local businesses. “Owners of car dealers were forced to install gates to Albatross Street to stay in business. Homeowners and those who were forced to drive in and out of their yards had to hire cars from rentals, which was very expensive.”
“We saw the make-over as unnecessary because this is a small residential area. It does not connect to the Gautrain development or OR Tambo International Airport. It does not carry heavy traffic and was in much better shape without big potholes than most of the other streets in Kempton Park.”
She said there were far more important issues like waste removal and damaged water meters that needed to be attended to.
Ward councillor Simon Lapping said: “The road in question has to be dug up as part of the rehabilitation to replace a number of water and sewerage pipes that were lying directly under the road.
“This has become necessary as the ageing infrastructure of the area is battling to cope with the arrival of many new residents in the area and the planned future whereby new hotels are being built.
“As with any improvements there will be a level of inconvenience, however, the long-term results will be to the benefit of the residents.”
Asked about the extension of the construction to December 9, Lapping said he had no knowledge of such.
The metro did not respond to Kempton Express’ enquiries at the time of going to print.
