A resident who was concerned about water running down the street due to a blocked stormwater drain, took matters into his own hands.
Andre Aiton of Northcliff expressed his frustrations over a flooded stormwater drain.
He noticed the problem had persisted for days. “I drove past the drain and decided to help fix the problem at hand.”
Reluctant to call Johannesburg Roads Agency, because he knew that the agency often took several days to respond, Aiton thought he could solve the problem at hand independently. “My experience with the organisation has never been a good one, as they have never attended to issues as timeously as you would want them to.”
So, fed up with the system, he opted to call a local business that he hoped would assist him. He said that the local business promised that they would be there in an hour. “They came to where the blockage was and they happily unblocked the drain, which did not even take them long to do.”
He added that the company did the job free of charge. “Nowadays, it’s hard to get someone to do something for free.”
Though this was a great gesture for the community, Johannesburg Roads Agency cautioned residents against taking matters into their own hands as this could possibly have adverse effects.
Spokesperson for the agency, Bertha Peter-Scheepers said such work is not allowed without permission. She said no one should work on the road or the reserves of the road without a wayleave form and permission.
“If anything had gone wrong, the people involved would be liable for any problems.”
Peter-Scheepers concluded that Johannesburg Roads Agency is here to serve the public. The agency can be contacted through various channels, including telephone or via social media. “If their queries are not responded to, they can escalate their issues to the managing directors.”
When Northcliff Melville Times asked when the agency would have attended to the issue, Peter-Scheepers said it could have taken up to three days to fix.
