Beukes still closed

The corner of Stephanus and Beukes roads have been closed for two months and residents have been frustrated as this is one of their main routes to Pretoria Road.
This corner, also known as the “Beukes gat”, has been plagued by erosion and saw the collapse of the road in January.
Ward 15 Clr Amanda Davidson previously said the stormwater realignment project introduced in January was designed to address design flaws that caused the erosion.
“This project was re-designed according to the South African National Standard as the system was designed for a flood return period of 15 years.”
Davison explained the collapse was not instant but rather occurred over an extended period, which led to the subsequent failure of the system.
“The increase in rainfall in the last year has put the system under pressure and caused the failure of the repairs,” Davidson added.
Residents and motorists of Kempton Park who use Beukes Road daily have been crying out for answers as the road being blocked off affects many who use it as an alternative route from Pretoria Road when Vlei Road floods.
“We cannot afford to have our roads closed. They are main routes to Pretoria Road,” said property consultant Linda Erasmus.
Davidson sympathised with motorists but urged them to be patient as operations take time.
She said thorough investigations had to be done as it was the second time the pipeline had to be repaired and designing the repair had to be done in line with a standard policy.
“This was to ensure that the same incidents do not occur again. Thereafter, the bill of quantities will be developed and the most difficult will be to obtain the budget.
“Adding to the delay is the lengthy process to ensure the appointment of capable contractors. These service providers should be appointed by the end of March subject to the approval of the CoE’s bid adjudication committee,” added Davidson.
Davidson informed Express that the latest update on the appointment of contractors and budget was communicated to residents through social media and in person.
She added the repairs will be done in two phases. Firstly, on the Stephanus and Beukes corner and thereafter, in the long term, the full stormwater pipeline will be inspected using CCTV, including periodic inspections going forward.
The Express requested a comment from the City of Ekurhuleni on March 18 with a deadline for comment on March 22.
At the time of going to print, no comment was received.