Trench in Equestria reopens after poor repairs, claim motorists
The metro insists the hole was backfilled, but it is being refuted by residents and motorists. They claim the right materials weren’t used.
A trench at the corner of Furrow Road and Libertas Avenue in Equestria, originally dug in early February for water pipe repairs, has reportedly started to open up again.
This after just months after the metro backfilled it in April.
Frustrated motorists claim that the trench was only loosely filled with soil and sand, without the promised final tar patching.
The motorists said that as vehicles continue to drive over the area, the backfill has gradually deteriorated, leaving the site in a similar state to what it was before April.
The trench, which had initially remained open for weeks after the pipe repair, caused major traffic congestion by blocking most of Furrow Road’s right lane.
At the time in April, the metro said backfilling had been completed and only the tar resurfacing remained.
The metro further said that technical supervisors would revisit the site for inspection to ensure the backfilling and compaction were properly done.
However, motorists now allege that no such inspections took place, and that the lack of proper surfacing has resulted in the trench reopening under traffic pressure.
Ward 85 councillor Jacqui Uys said the trench remains a problem for motorists and residents.
“It is still not repaired, regardless of all the attempts from my side to engage the city officials,” said Uys.
She said the city first claimed that they had no tools and then later, that there was no hot asphalt to properly resurface the road.
“I have continued to push this with various officials in the city, but with no luck. The residents are tired. We will hand in a petition signed by 1 200 residents to the council next week,” she explained.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the trench was backfilled in April and that a tar patch job card has been created for the city’s Roads and Stormwater Section.
“The matter is currently on a priority list to be resolved,” Mashigo said.
He explained that the trench was properly backfilled and compacted using G5 soil materials. This was not a temporary measure but a proper repair process, according to him.
“A tar patch job card has been created for the city’s Roads and Stormwater Section to patch the road. The matter is currently on a priority list to be resolved.”
However, Mashigo could not offer an exact date.
He added that the city has standard operating procedures that guide any work that is carried out by contractors or municipal officials.
“Furthermore, there are inspectors and foremen who carry out quality assurance inspections for the work done by the team and/or contractor.”
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