Unfilled trench leaves Buccaneer Street residents fuming after car gets stuck
WEB_PRE AND NEWSPAPER Residents on Buccaneer Street in Elardus Park are hot under the collar after a water pipe repair at the junction with Cathcart Street was left unfinished, creating a dangerous hazard for motorists and pedestrians. According to Ward councillor Lida Erasmus, a metro team repaired a water pipe in the area on January
Residents on Buccaneer Street in Elardus Park are hot under the collar after a water pipe repair at the junction with Cathcart Street was left unfinished, creating a dangerous hazard for motorists and pedestrians.
According to Ward councillor Lida Erasmus, a metro team repaired a water pipe in the area on January 21, but left the trench, which crosses the full width of the road, open without properly filling or resurfacing it.
“No danger tape was used to indicate a problem or to close the road. A resident got stuck and damaged her car in the process,” said Erasmus.
She said it was left to residents to take action after the incident.
“Other residents closed the road with small cones and bits of old danger tape. I visited the site yesterday [Tuesday] and residents have attempted to at least get one lane open.”
Erasmus said, however, that the biggest part of this trench has not been properly filled, and there is a huge hole still on the sidewalk.
She added that the issue is not isolated and forms part of a broader problem in her ward.
“I have several of these repair holes and trenches across my ward and they are not being filled and tarred, leaving the roads to degenerate and motorists bearing the cost of tyre and vehicle repairs,” she said.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the repair work was carried out by the city’s Water and Sanitation Business Unit.
He explained that the trench was left open intentionally.
“The damaged pipe was across Buccaneer Road, and the trench was left open to allow the area to dry before backfilling and compaction of the site,” said Mashigo.
Mashigo said the team had placed a cone at the site to warn road users. He said the metro was not aware that a resident became stuck in the trench or that residents had to close the road themselves using makeshift measures.
He added that the metro’s turnaround time for reinstating open trenches after water leak repairs is 14 days.
“The city will ensure that the trench is backfilled within 14 days from January 21,” he said.
Mashigo added that the remaining trench and the hole on the sidewalk will be attended to before the end of the week.
He said the site supervisor or foreman is responsible for inspecting and signing off repair sites to ensure that backfilling meets quality standards.
For residents who have incurred vehicle damage as a result of incomplete or negligent municipal repair work, Mashigo said claims can be submitted to Tshwane’s Group Legal and Secretariat Services Department.
“The third-party claim form is available on the city’s website and at Tshwane House. Completed forms can be hand-delivered or emailed to claims@tshwane.gov.za,” he said.
In response to concerns about similar unfilled trenches across the ward, Mashigo said the metro has assigned a team to prioritise backfilling all trenches in Region 6.
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