A burst water main has left Jacaranda Avenue in Olivedale badly damaged and closed to traffic since Monday, March 16, with buckled and shattered tarmac bearing witness to the destructive force of the failure.

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The 800mm main pipe, one of the largest in the municipal water network, ruptured at the intersection of Jacaranda Avenue and President Fouché Drive, tearing through the road surface and forcing the closure of one of Ward 101’s most critical intersections.

Ward 101 Councillor Ralf Bittkau said the scale of the damage demanded immediate action. “I put immediate pressure on Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and Joburg Water as it is a major emergency,” he said. “The water pipe was an 800mm main pipe, and the intersection is one of the most critical in Ward 101.”

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JRA spokesperson Bertha Scheepers confirmed that officials were already on site and said she would provide updates on the progress of repairs. No timeline for the road’s reopening had been provided at the time of publication.

Residents have been forced to use alternative routes for nearly a week, with the closure disrupting daily travel through a road that serves as a key link for the Olivedale community. Excavation work is visible at the scene, suggesting repairs are underway, but the extent of the road surface damage points to a lengthy restoration process.

@caxtonjoburgnorth Watch: The intersection of Jacaranda Avenue in Olivedale shows extensive road surface damage after an 800mm water main burst, leaving the road closed for nearly a week. Video: Nkazimulo Ncube #JRA #Randburg ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Randburg Sun will update this story as more information becomes available.

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