A deep section of damaged road in Magalieskruin has remained unrepaired for five months, after a water leak was fixed, with the Tshwane metro acknowledging that the delay was caused partly by the expiry of a contract responsible for backfilling work.

The affected section is on Willow Avenue, opposite Rock of Hope, where residents have raised concerns about the road’s condition and the prolonged delay in restoring the surface.

The original water leak was repaired in March of this year, but the road was not fully reinstated afterwards.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the municipality is aware of the outstanding road repairs.

“The matter has been identified for the necessary remedial work,” said Mashigo.

According to Mashigo, the metro’s team successfully repaired a leaking service pipe located within the road in March.

“While the water leak itself was resolved, the subsequent backfilling and reinstatement of the road surface could not be completed at the same time and therefore remained outstanding,” he said.

The metro said the delay was largely linked to the expiry of a contract previously used by the Water and Sanitation Section for backfilling work.

Mashigo said this affected the department’s ability to complete the backfilling required before the Roads Section could properly reinstate the road.

The site was most recently inspected on August 7, with the inspection confirming that proper backfilling must first be completed before the damaged section can be tar-patched.

The metro has since placed the site on the Region 2 Roads Section’s intervention programme, which was introduced to address outstanding potholes and road repairs across the region.

For one Willow Avenue resident, however, the prolonged wait has raised concerns about how long residents must wait for basic repairs after municipal service has been completed.

“It is frustrating to see the water leak repaired but then have the hole remain for months afterwards.

“It becomes a hazard for motorists and pedestrians, and we just want the road restored properly,” said Dawn Malan.

Mashigo said the responsibility for completing the work is shared between the Region 2 Water and Sanitation and Roads sections. The Water and Sanitation Department is expected to undertake the required backfilling, while the Roads section will handle the final road surface reinstatement.

Mashigo said the metro has scheduled the work for August 14, although the completion remains subject to operational conditions on the day.

The municipality is also in the process of procuring a new backfilling contract for the Water and Sanitation Section.

Mashigo said the appointment of a new service provider should allow outstanding trenches and backfilling work to be addressed more efficiently, enabling the Roads Section to complete reinstatement sooner after water-related repairs.

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