Cracked roads and broken trust over road repair in Woodmead
Residents say delays and poor repairs have turned a simple pipe fix into a major road hazard.
Frustration is growing amongst the residents in Woodmead, following months of delays and what they describe as inadequate repair work by Johannesburg Water (JW) on Packard Street.
What began as a routine response to a leaking pipe before the December holidays has turned into a prolonged infrastructure issue, leaving a once functional road partially collapsed and unsafe for motorists. According to Woodmead Khyber Rock Residents Association managing director Wendy Robertson, repeated reports and escalations to JW resulted in little progress. “We reported it to JW before Christmas. We have a little system whereby we re-escalate on a weekly basis with new reference numbers. It’s been brought to their attention every week.”
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Robertson said, during the four-month period, the excavation remained open and unmarked posing a safety risk to road users. She added that they had to take safety measures into their own hands, after noticing there was no warning signage. “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.
“On February 2, we had a terrible incident here. 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.”
Although JW returned to the site on March 24 to do the backfilling, residents say intervention fell short of expectation. “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.
“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.”
In response, JW spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala acknowledged the delays, citing operational challenges. “A technical team was allocated to the job. However, the repair could not be completed immediately due to operational challenges in isolating and shutting off the water supply. These constraints delayed the finalisation of the work until conditions allowed for a safe and effective intervention.”
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On the issue of safety, Shabalala said the standard protocols are followed. “Johannesburg Water implements standard safety protocols on all excavation sites, including the placement of road signage and barriers to alert and protect the public. However, there have been instances where signage and safety materials are removed or stolen from active work sites, which compromises these measures.”
Despite visible concerns from residents, Shabalala said JW is satisfied that the repair meets the required engineering and safety standards. “All work is carried out in accordance with established technical specifications to ensure system integrity and public safety. The reinstatement of the road surface falls under the responsibility of Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).
“Johannesburg Water escalates all completed excavations requiring reinstatement. JRA then undertakes the necessary road repairs, and bills Johannesburg Water accordingly. Timelines for completion are therefore dependent on JRA’s scheduling and processes.”
When the publication asked JRA about the scheduled dates for the repairs they said: “The JRA’s regional depot will schedule a site inspection and provide a detailed update on the reinstatement as soon as possible.”
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