A longstanding excavation at the intersection of Denbigh and Flint roads in Parkwood may finally have been repaired, but concerns remain over the growing number of open excavations across the area that are left unattended for months on end.
Ward 87 councillor Kyle Jacobs has warned that these unresolved sites posed ongoing safety risks to residents and motorists and reflected deeper challenges in the management and oversight of infrastructure repairs.
Read more: Johannesburg Water will repair Jan Smuts leak after City Power has isolated its cables
On January 15, a deep excavation and water leak were discovered directly outside a residential property in Parkwood. The hole, which exposed underground infrastructure, raised immediate alarm among nearby residents, who feared potential injuries, property damage, and further deterioration if left unaddressed.
While this excavation has since been attended to, Jacobs stressed that the issue extended far beyond a single site, noting that similar holes and trenches frequently remain open long after emergency work was completed, with little communication or follow-up from responsible entities.
Johannesburg Water spokesperson, Nombuso Shabalala, confirmed on January 22 that the repair work on this excavation was completed on January 20.
Jacobs highlighted that the usual response from the water utility and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) was that each entity shifted responsibility to the other.
Also read: Leak on Jan Smuts and Rothesay Avenues persists due to power cables in the way
“Johannesburg Water indicates that the matter has been referred to JRA, while JRA states that Johannesburg Water has not paid for the reinstatement or disputes the charges. This ongoing back-and-forth results in growing backlogs that become increasingly difficult to resolve.”
On January 23, JRA stated that an inspection was scheduled for the excavation in question that afternoon and that it would only be possible to provide a detailed report once it had been assessed.
According to the councillor, he hoped that MMCs Kenny Kunene and Jack Sekwaila would take such issues seriously. He hoped that they would intervene to reduce the growing reinstatement backlog by addressing these issues.
The publication will update the article with JRA’s response and findings in due course.
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