Two years after water pipe repairs tore up part of Pretoria Avenue in Ferndale, the road remains unrepaired, overgrown, and partially obstructed.
The damaged section has become a safety concern for road users and schoolchildren, while residents continue to seek answers over who is responsible for restoring the road. Pretoria Avenue suffered two major pipe bursts in 2024. The first, in February, which caused the Kensington B water outage, was repaired by Johannesburg Water, but the road was never reinstated. Contractors left behind a large excavation and rubble, forcing motorists into a single lane. The site has since become overgrown, and has turned into an informal dumping spot.

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Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete is now calling for urgent intervention and accountability. Campbell-Cloete is concerned about the safety of motorists travelling along Pretoria Avenue. “The hole occupies part of a lane, creating a potential hazard for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians,” she said. “There is also a primary school opposite the reinstatement.”

She said that the neglected site not only affects road safety; it detracts from the appearance of the neighbourhood.

The ongoing situation has raised questions about responsibility for the reinstatement work. Residents are seeking clarity on whether Johannesburg Water or Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is responsible for restoring the road surface and repairing any damaged storm water infrastructure.

In 2024, Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala explained that the water pipe needed to be rerouted using a special bender. “It needs to be rerouted because it is in line with a storm water drain belonging to JRA. Once this is received, the Johannesburg Water team will do backfilling, and a job card for reinstatement work will be created and issued to JRA.”

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The work was scheduled to take place within a few weeks during that year. It currently remains unclear, however, if that work was ever caried out, but we do now that the road is yet to be reinstated.

The councillor confirmed that she has had numerous engagements with both JRA and Johannesburg Water about the issues since January this year, in an effort to obtain answers and secure a timeline for repairs. “After discussions with Johannesburg Water, I was informed that the repairs are the responsibility of JRA. Calls have been logged and escalated. Letters have also been addressed to the city manager, Dr Floyd Brink, who requested action from JRA on the ongoing outstanding repairs to the storm water infrastructure and road.”

Contractors were seen on site in the early morning of June 9. JRA has confirmed that the teams are currently on site, undertaking the reinstatement of two excavations on Pretoria Avenue in Ferndale. Work started on June 5 and is scheduled to be completed on June 16.

The work to be done includes clearing debris and site preparation, removing of the paving and backfilling, repaving and reinstatement of the kerb, preparing the site for asphalt/road tarring, and road surface tarring.

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