Pretoria North residents have welcomed the start of long-overdue sidewalk repairs at the corner of Rachael de Beer and Ben Viljoen streets.

The walkway was left severely damaged in December 2025 when municipal officials excavated the area to repair an underground electrical issue. Pedestrians noted that the unrepaired paving remained an eyesore and created significant hazards for foot traffic navigating the busy intersection.

Resident Gerrit van Rooyen expressed relief that municipal teams have finally returned to rectify the site.

“I am happy to see the sidewalk being repaired because it has been damaged since December when the metro officials came to fix the electrical issue at the intersection,” van Rooyen said.

Fellow resident Tsholofelo Mokobodi added that the visible progress restores community confidence.

“We have been seeing the damage for months, so seeing the sidewalk being repaired is encouraging. Hopefully, the work will be completed properly and the area can return to normal.”

Concerns over road infrastructure

The repair work follows persistent advocacy from Ward 2 Councillor Quentin Meyer, who previously raised concerns regarding the lingering impact of municipal utility maintenance on Ben Viljoen Street.

Past interventions for water bursts and power line repairs resulted in torn-up road surfaces and the removal of traffic lights.

Meyer has urged the Tshwane Metro to ensure that whenever municipal departments conduct underground repairs, damaged surface infrastructure, including roads, signals, and sidewalks, is fully restored upon completion.

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