Johannesburg Water frustrates Woodmead residents as they leave road crumbling
Residents say, after weekly complaints, which were ignored for months, JW has backfilled the excavation, only partially fixing the problem, and leaving motorists at risk.
Frustration is growing in the Woodmead community, following a four-month-long excavation on Packard Street, which has left the road severely damaged and hazardous for motorists.
Read more: Residents demand accountability after long-standing road damage repaired in Illovo
Woodmead Khyber Rock Residents Association managing director Wendy Robertson said the issue began before Christmas, when a leaking pipe prompted Johannesburg Water (JW) to dig up the road for repairs. However, what followed has been months of inaction, poor safety measures, and ultimately, a substandard repair. “We have a little system whereby we re-escalate on a weekly basis with new reference numbers. We reported it to JW before Christmas, and every week since it’s been brought to their attention.”
Despite these repeated reports, Robertson said the site has remained open and unsafe for months, with no signage or cones placed by JW to alert drivers of the hazard. “From the very first time when there was a leaking pipe, JW came and dug up the area for the repairs and they didn’t even put these cones here to show drivers and people using the road that there is a big hole filled with water.”
She added that, on February 2, they had an incident where a car drove into the excavation, which caused significant damage to the vehicle, including both wheels and the radiator, leaving the driver badly shaken up. “The hole must have been a good metre and a bit deep, because I could have stood in it, and I know that my height is 1.64m. As the residents’ association, we had to put these cones ourselves.”
Also read: Councillor slams delays on Woodmead road repairs
Although JW returned to the site on March 24 to address the issue, residents say the repair has been wholly inadequate. The excavation has merely been backfilled, leaving the road surface uneven, unstable, and at risk of further deterioration, especially with rainfall. “They came to fix it the day before yesterday [March 24], but this is the kind of fix that they have done after months of reporting. If you have a look at the condition of the road, with rain this is going to just absolutely fall apart.
@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Woodmead Khyber Rock Residents Association managing director Wendy Robertson expresses her frustration at what Johannesburg Water calls a fix after a four-month-long excavation on Packard Street left half the road damaged and unsafe despite several reports. Video: Xoliswa Zakwe #Sandton #JW ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
“Half of the road has been taken away. If they don’t fix it soon, they will have to reinstate the entire road. It took them four months just to do what they call backfilling, but the road hasn’t been fixed. This is not acceptable.”
JW was contacted for a comment on March 27, and Phakamani Ndlovu acknowledged the enquiry saying: “We acknowledge the receipt of your media enquiry. Johannesburg Water will provide a response within our standard turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the matter and the input required from relevant technical departments.”
Follow up emails were sent, but no comments were received on the time of publication. Updates will be provided once they become available.
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
