Following water pipe repairs, an excavation site in Koedoesnek Avenue, Waterkloof Ridge, has come under scrutiny after a motorist crashed late at night into a pile of sand left in the roadway.

According to resident Roelof van Wyk, the Tshwane metro excavated a trench about one meter deep to repair a water pipe on January 9.

Van Wyk said the site was left unsecured, without proper barriers or warning signage, in an area that has also been without functioning streetlights for more than a year.

“A traffic cone was placed a night after the accident by one of the security companies in the hope that it would help as a warning sign,” said Van Wyk.

On the night of January 13, a driver drove over the sand that had been left in the street, narrowly missing the open trench.

Van Wyk said the driver could easily have ended up in the excavation, posing a serious risk of injury or worse.

He added that the incident was reported to the TMPD, but no officials arrived on the scene.

“The situation is gross negligence, and we have called for urgent investigation and accountability, questioning how such a hazardous site could be left unattended on a public road,” he said.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the municipality was aware of the excavation site and disputed claims that it was left without any safety measures.

According to Mashigo, the required repairs were completed on January 9, and the area was barricaded to ensure public safety while follow-up processes were underway.

“The work formed part of water infrastructure repairs overseen by the city’s Water and Sanitation Business Unit, and an instruction was issued on January 9 at 13:59 to the appointed contractor to proceed with backfilling of the excavation.”

Mashigo added that the site was not left unattended without any form of warning or demarcation, as it was secured using danger tape as a precautionary measure.

He said the metro’s standard requirements include ensuring excavation sites are left in a safe and secure condition with appropriate barricading to protect road users and pedestrians.

“The city only became aware of the alleged incident through a media inquiry. An internal assessment will be conducted to establish the facts and determine whether further action is required,” he said.

According to Mashigo, the excavation was fully backfilled on January 16 to eliminate any remaining safety risks.

He said a job card has been issued to the Roads Department for the urgent reinstatement of the tar surface, and should any non-compliance or negligence be identified, appropriate action would be taken in line with city policies and contractual obligations.

In an effort to prevent similar incidents, Mashigo said it has introduced a daily reporting system for contractor activities to improve oversight, identify outstanding excavations, and ensure potentially dangerous sites are prioritised and addressed promptly.

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