East residents slam metro for ignoring overgrown drains
Stormwater drains choked by grass and thorn trees along January Masilela Drive have become a mounting concern.
Residents in East are raising concerns over stormwater drains overgrown with grass and invasive thorn trees, with no sign of action months after complaints were logged with the municipality.
Regina Viljoen, a resident in the area, said she first reported the issue in January, specifically pointing to stormwater drains along January Masilela Drive between Laerskool Constantia Park and Rosslyn Avenue.
She added that although the drains currently aren’t clogged, the thick grass and new thorn trees growing out of them could eventually cause flooding when the rains return.
“On January 25, I requested that the stormwater drains be cleaned because thorn trees were starting to push their roots into the drains,” Viljoen said.
“No action has been taken since my report.”
She added that she fears the unchecked growth will act as a barrier during heavy rains, preventing water from flowing freely and potentially leading to dangerous road flooding.
Ward 83 Councillor Andrew Lesch said the condition of stormwater drains in his ward was not good at all.
“There’s a lot of grass growing on the side of the road and even into the drains. On January Masilela, there are quite a few drains that are really overgrown.”
Lesch said the vegetation doesn’t just look bad but presents a genuine safety risk.
“Instead of the water going into the stormwater drain, it stays on the road. That causes traffic problems and increases the risk of flooding.”
He explained that over time, growing grass and tree roots trap leaves and debris that would otherwise wash away.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, but eventually it creates a blockage,” Lesch said.
In response, metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro currently relies on reactive maintenance and only attends to issues once complaints are logged on the system.
“Proactive maintenance is limited in light of the restricted resources,” he said.
Mashigo emphasised the importance of logging detailed complaints, particularly for lengthy roads like January Masilela Drive.
“It’s crucial that residents provide exact locations, such as street intersections, when logging a call so that the investigation and resolution can be more targeted,” he said.
He acknowledged the dry season offers an opportunity for some proactive cleaning but added that the metro is finalising a turnaround strategy aimed at boosting service delivery.
“This strategy will see more equipment and staff allocated to stormwater maintenance and other service delivery issues,” Mashigo said.
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