Johannesburg Water frustrates Blairgowrie residents with unfinished work
Johannesburg water finished repairs on Barkston Drive and Mackay Avenue, but has not completely filled the excavation, leading to frustration from residents and motorists.
Despite attending to and conducting repairs on a long-standing leak, Johannesburg Water still did not complete the work at the corner of Barkston Drive and Mackay Avenue in Blairgowrie.
Read more: JW still offers no answers on sewage issue on Oak Avenue
The water in the hole was drained and the leak repaired, but the team did not close the hole that has been a safety concern since July 2025. Not only is the hole an eyesore; it raises safety concerns for motorists. The entity completed repairs early in January, but the big hole remains. The area is not secure as some of the yellow plastic barriers have fallen inside the hole. It remains a massive safety risk, especially with the recent rain.
Resident Gwyneth Cox, who lives near the hole, described the situation as dangerous and disgusting. She recently cleaned it as it was filled with filth. “We have been battling since July for the water company and the road company to come and fix this mess. It’s dangerous to people walking along here, and for motorists. After sealing off the pipe, they just left things like this. It’s just mind-blowing how they can just not finish one job properly and move to the next.”
Also read: JW replaces Bosbok Road pipe
She added that the road gets busier during peak hours, and that has created further damage. During repairs, a street pole containing cameras was also removed, along with the large concrete block keeping in the ground. While the large block still sits on the side of the road, the pole, and the cameras, are yet to be replaced.
Ward 99 councillor Hendrik Bodenstein is also frustrated about the trench and the unfinished work. He promised to continue escalating the matter further until the road is resurfaced. “I will try my best to get the entity to come and finish the work.”
Johannesburg Water was asked questions on when the hole will be closed, but have not responded by the time of print. Their response will be pulished once made available.
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