Residents and councillor concerned with erosion in newly reopened K73
K73 Road faces erosion, just months after reopening.
The Gauteng provincial government recently reopened the K73 Allandale Road after it underwent a 22-month multi-million rand upgrade.
The road, however, has encountered some challenges just a few months after its reopening.
Residents in the area which includes Kyalami and Vorna Valley and Ward 132 councillor Annette Deppe have raised concerns about the erosion that has taken place on the road.
According to Deppe, the construction companies have not yet used the appropriate soil and embankments, which has resulted in significant erosion problems.
She also pointed out that the lack of proper materials and construction practices has caused damage to the road, posing a potential risk to drivers and nearby residents.
“The recent heavy rains have caused significant damage to the road, leading to erosion and raising questions about the quality of the upgrade work and the effectiveness of the contractors involved in the project,” Deppe explained.
“As a result, the sand on the side of the road has been washed away. In addition, a water pipe that was enclosed is already breaking, and water is running under the foundation. The electric cables are also showing along the road.”
The ineffective stormwater drainage system has also created a huge crater on the road, which has prompted the residents to inform Deppe, who in turn contacted the contractors.
Although the road upgrade is not finished yet, with some work still being done like paving, the councillor and residents felt that where erosion was taking place, the workers had already completed their work.
Upon receiving reports of a large crater and erosion on the road, the contractors dispatched other workers to attend to the issue during the heavy rains in mid-January.
The road gutter was temporarily blocked with sandbanks to divert the water away from the road. Furthermore, the workers installed temporary embankments to ensure that the water was properly diverted away from the road.
Lonerock CEO Jan van der Walt said the contractors are currently working on-site, doing extensive work to address the issue and find a permanent solution.
“Gautrans, WSP and Lonerock are currently investigating various alternatives to rectify and prevent the erosion going forward,” said van der Walt.
He concluded that the contract is not closed out yet because the streetlights and sound barrier wall still need to be completed.
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