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Neighbours unite to restore 9th Avenue

With only a few touches left, the collaboration has left the place looking better than what it used to and shows the success that can be achieved when people work together.

May 14, 2025

Neliswa Sibiya 1 minute read

Volunteers clean the sidewalk under the bridge. Photo: Submitted.

Overgrown sidewalks, blocked stormwater drains, and a leaking sewage pipe – that’s what residents along 9th Avenue have been dealing with for far too long.

Volunteers cut down leafy trees that overlap into the road. Photo: Submitted.

But the Panorama@Work team from the Panorama Residents Association (PRA) and the Community-Cleaners NGO from Fairlands took on a week-long joint effort to clean the area to make it safer and cleaner than it has been in years.

Also read: Panorama team patches potholes

The clean-up kicked off on April 28, with volunteers from both sides, with the Panorama@Work team starting from Rugby Road and the Fairlands team from Market Street – meeting in the middle to cut back thick vegetation and open up blocked drains.

Some of the vagrants’ unwanted belongings are loaded into the truck. Photo: Submitted.

“We’re not just tidying up; we’re making our neighbourhood safer for everyone,” says Michael Steyn, PRA deputy chairperson.

According to Michael, as the team reached the bridge area, they encountered a group of displaced individuals living underneath. Instead of ignoring the situation, they engaged respectfully and even received help from the individuals staying there.

“We agreed to clear one side of the area for pedestrian use, and they pitched in to help,” he shares. “Together, we filled a bakkie with items no longer needed.”

By May 1, most of the work was complete. The sidewalks were clear, stormwater drains opened, and the space under the bridge was neater and more accessible. “This entire effort was funded by residents and carried out by volunteers,” Michael notes.

The rubbish bags contain litter that has been picked up from the clean-up. Photo: Submitted.

“It’s a powerful reminder that we can get things done when we work together – especially when the City [City of Johannesburg] and Johannesburg Roads Agency fall short.”

Michael expresses that following pressure from the PRA and Ward 89 councillor Zander Shawe, Johannesburg Water arrived on May 3 to address a leaking sewage pipe in the same area. They dug a new trench and lay a pipe between manholes to bypass the collapsed section, used a suction truck to clear the blocked manhole, and installed a stopper to close off the damaged pipe permanently. He adds that the JRA is still a no show at the moment to repair the damaged road surface.