The long–delayed repairs to the hazardous four-month-old excavation at the corner of Jan Smuts and Rothesay avenues are scheduled to begin on April 13.

Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) head of operations, Khaya Gqibitole, confirmed on April 8:

“The repairs are inclusive of site preparation, stormwater repairs, sidewalks, and reinstatement of the excavated road. The completion timeline is yet to be determined and is dependent on whether or not JRA will need to relocate any services, which include cables.”

Read more: Craighall excavation grows while Johannesburg Water fails to fix leak

He added that JRA would be better positioned to communicate an estimated completion date in the coming week.

Ward 90 councillor Renate van Onselen blamed Johannesburg Water, which was responsible for detecting the leak, for the delay in repairing the excavation.

“From December last year to the middle of February this year, they made no progress due to a lack of communication between them and City Power. City Power was called in to assess their cables that Johannesburg Water had unearthed on-site and confirmed that their cables were not in the way of any repairs.”

Van Onselen said she hoped JRA would now be more focused and committed to fixing the stormwater drainage and remediating the road surface and pavements on all three sides of the intersection.

Johannesburg Water’s attempts to locate the leak last year led to pavements being dug up, affecting nearby businesses and causing revenue losses.

A local business owner, who asked not to be named, said, “I had to take matters into my own hands and incur extra costs of paying for the pavement to be fixed, because a broken pavement meant the business not being fully functional.”

Also read: Illovo continues to lose gallons of water from 10-year-old pipe leak

On February 13, during wet weather, a vehicle plunged into the excavation, prompting urgent calls for repairs. Weeks later, while parts of the city faced water shortages and Parktown West residents protested for access, thousands of litres of clean water spilt unchecked from the site, raising concerns about oversight and response times.

Vice-chairperson of the Craighall Residents Association, Samantha Herman, noted on March 25 that the excavation compromised a key arterial route serving residents, a school, and nearby retail centres.

She highlighted the consequences:

•  A large, unrepaired excavation poses an ongoing safety hazard, evidenced by a vehicle overturning into the hole in February.
• Traffic lights at the intersection have failed, with one pole lying in the roadway, causing congestion and accident risk.
•  Local businesses have suffered material losses due to prolonged inaccessibility.
• Residents face daily disruption navigating what should be a straightforward route.

The publication will continue to follow up with JRA in the coming week for updates on the completion timeline.

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