Greymont residents despair over eight-year bridge closure and open sewage leak
Homeowner Sudhir Daya has raised concerns about deteriorating infrastructure and a lack of visible progress, while Ward 86 councillor Chantelle Fourie-Shawe says funding remains a major obstacle to the bridge's rehabilitation.
Frustration is peaking in Greymont as residents face an eight-year bridge closure, unchecked sinkholes, and raw sewage flowing openly into a local spruit.
Long-time resident Sudhir Daya, an 11-year homeowner in the suburb, is sounding the alarm over the area’s severe infrastructural collapse and the lack of meaningful action from Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and Johannesburg Water. By speaking out, Daya hopes to spark a community-wide push to demand accountability and urgent service delivery.
Read more: Sewage pollution and litter threaten Westdene Spruit ecosystem
Ward 86 councillor Chantelle Fourie-Shawe said the bridge’s rehabilitation had been raised repeatedly over the years, including through the city’s integrated development plan (IDP) process and engagements with regional departments. According to Fourie-Shawe, the latest update from JRA was that the bridge project had been combined with work on the 6th Road West Bridge because of concerns about the deterioration affecting both crossings. However, she said the project had made little progress beyond that development. “This is now October,” said Fourie-Shawe. “It will be eight years that this bridge has been closed.”
Fourie-Shawe said the bridge had been included in the IDP every year, but funding remained a major obstacle. She recalled that about R40m had been allocated to the project two or three years ago, only to be removed. She said JRA had indicated that the budget had been removed but had not provided a clear explanation for the decision.
Also read: Johannesburg Water tackles sewage overflow near Emmarentia Dam
Beyond the bridge, Fourie-Shawe warned that deteriorating infrastructure could have consequences across the surrounding area if rehabilitation continued to be delayed. She pointed to the 6th Road West Bridge and other infrastructure concerns, including a burst on Milner Road, as part of a broader pattern of problems that need attention.
JRA acknowledged the publication’s media query and stated it would provide a response on October 16. However, none was forthcoming. The publication will follow up with the entity.
Furthermore, the publication sent Johannesburg Water a media query to inquire whether it is aware of the sewage leak and contaminated water, and its response will be added once received.
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