The Tshwane metro has admitted to a backlog in road restoration work after a bus became mired in deep mud at 339 West Street, north of Pretoria, raising serious concerns about safety and the quality of work following municipal infrastructure repairs.

The incident occurred after the metro’s Water and Sanitation Business Unit carried out emergency repairs during December on a leaking water pipe that had burst under pressure at the site.

According to the metro, the repairs were completed.

However, the road was left without adequate backfilling and tar patching, resulting in unsafe conditions for road users.

Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that internal teams were responsible for the work.

He acknowledged that while the pipe repair itself was completed, the road patching remained outstanding, due to the construction shutdown period in December.

“The regional technical team from the metro’s Water and Sanitation Business Unit was responsible for the work carried out at 339 West Street.

“The work entailed repairs on a leaking water pipe which had burst under pressure,” said Mashigo.

Mashigo explained that although the acting foreman signed off the pipe repair work as completed, a follow-up task for backfilling and compaction was issued to the relevant team to expedite the process.

He added that the site was cordoned off with safety barricading netting, as the team was aware that the area needed time to dry before vehicles could safely pass through.

However, no photographic evidence was taken to confirm the condition of the site at the time, a point likely to raise further questions about oversight and compliance with safety standards.

The situation escalated when a bus became stuck at the site and had to be towed out, causing disruptions and highlighting the risks posed by incomplete road restoration.

Mashigo said the road was not intentionally left unattended, attributing the delay to a backlog in paving and tar patching repairs following the December holiday period.

“The technical team has a backlog of paving and tar patching repairs emanating from the December holidays, during which most construction companies had closed, while the Water and Sanitation technical team continued with water leakage repairs,” he explained.

“It is worth noting that the service level agreement for repairing tar or paving patches after completion of repair work is 15 days.”

Ward Councillor Quentin Meyer criticised the situation, describing it as unacceptable and dangerous for residents and commuters.

“Leaving a public road in this condition is not service delivery; it is negligence. The fact that a bus could get stuck here shows a clear lack of co-ordination, accountability and care.

“This incident could have been avoided if proper after-work had been prioritised,” said Meyer.

Mashigo said the municipality has committed to prioritising adequate backfilling and tar patching at the site and improving turnaround times for after-work following infrastructure repairs.

“The technical team will improve on the turnaround time for responding to backfilling and tar or pavement patching needs after repairs, in line with city norms and standards,” he said.

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