Residents install drains on Seder Road, Randpark Ridge
Residents take it upon themselves to solve the road's drainage issue.
The Randpark Ridge Village Association (RRVA) has installed Fin drains parallel to Seder Road, to remove water that was causing extensive road deterioration.
Residents complained about the potholes and the poor quality of the asphalt. The section of Seder Road that was most affected was the surface area leading from the greenbelt of Hymany Park.
Also read: Hymany Dam deteriorates at an alarming rate
The Fin drain (construction was chosen as being more cost-effective, saving time and money. The construction process was easy. A prefabricated system that is resistant to most chemical and biological action was installed into a narrow trench, enabling water to flow. It took five RRVA staff to complete the project in 12 days. The cost to RRVA was approximately R46 000 which covered the required equipment and transport.
The 100m network of the Fin drains installed had an immediate impact as the water started rushing down the pipes into the stream. These drains direct any groundwater and/or surface water directly into the piped drainage system already in place. After the heavy rains, it has been evident that the original problem area is now dryer than ever before, but we cannot say the same about the rest of the road.
Also read: Pothole problems plague Randpark Ridge roads
Also read: Failing infrastructure a concern
Rod Rankine, the deputy chairperson of the association said that the root cause of this problem is water permeating into the founding layer works beneath the asphalt. This is caused by the high-water table which in turn is fuelled by the faulty Hymany Dam. The water table on the street is above the level of asphalt even during the dry season. The rising water table could also be influenced by broken municipal water networks which we have seen in other parts of our neighbourhood.
A more permanent solution to the problem would be to have Seder Road rebuilt. However, plans were made to repair Hymany Dam five years ago, which has not been done.
Does this repair then stand in the way of sorting out Seder Road?
“RRVA and their membership base need to do what they can to keep the infrastructure in our village from collapsing,” added current chairperson Quinton Robbertze.
“Without RRVA members, problems that arise cannot be actioned on by the RRVA alone. One can only hope the City of Joburg entities responsible for the issues that RRVA have raised, will be attended to before we have a front page article for all the wrong reasons.”
In September, spokesperson at Johannesburg Roads Agency Kelebogile Mafa said the entity would install an alternative subsoil drainage system to alleviate drainage issues on both Seder Road and Koorsboom Street.
Since the association installed the Fin drains, Randburg Sun has asked the agency for further comment on the matter.
In response to this, and now speaking again in December, Mafa said, “We’re still engaging internal units responsible for the infrastructure on that road. However we intend to do a joint inspection with these units in about a week or two… to determine the way forward on the matter.”
Ward 98 councillor, Beverley Jacobs also met residents on several occasions when the road flooded, and escalated the matter to the agency.
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