Fibre cables must be removed before clearing Rosebank’s storm water channel
The fibre cables, running in the storm water channel, on Oxford and 11th roads, are the source of the blockages that are occurring downstream in Saxonwold.
The reinstatement and vacuuming of the storm water channel on Oxford and 11th roads continues to be delayed, due to a service provider’s cables blocking the channel.
The Gazette first reported about a blocked storm water drain, along Cotswold Road, back in February this year, but the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) team found that the source of the blockage began at the storm water channel, which has since been dug up for further investigations.
A reporter went onsite to meet with JRA personnel on September 19, to understand the storm water channel challenges better.
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Repriment Segodi, acting assistant planning manager for Norwood Depot in Region E, explained that the storm water channel was the source of the blockage in the storm water drain located on Oxford and Cotswold roads.
“Previously, the upper section, from Cotswold Road, was blocked, and investigations were conducted which revealed that our channel, which runs along 11th Road, had fibre cables, which were inserted inside our storm water channel.”
Segodi added that the problem was getting the owners of the cables to remove them from the channel, to be able to bring a jetvac truck to clear the channel. “The main issue is the fibre cables, which are running parallel and are blocking the channel.
We cannot leave it as is, because rainy season is approaching, which will lead to blockages in other drains that are connected to this main channel.”
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Segodi highlighted that JRA have engaged with the service provider, who are in the process of obtaining a wayleave. JRA proposed that they get an emergency wayleave, which will enable the process of removing the cables faster.
He reiterated that after the cables are removed, the JRA team will bring in a jetvac and reinstatement would be completed to normality.
The timeline for all this is dependent on the service providers removing their cables. The Johannesburg Water pipe will not affect JRA’s work as it is not in their way because it is higher in the storm water channel and cannot be rerouted.
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