By: ANG Reporter
Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has started the implementation of Phase One of its emergency stormwater improvements programme in Protea Glen in Soweto.
According to the City of Joburg member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for roads and transport, councillor Kenny Kunene, the problem was caused by shoddy work by contractors.
“What we’re seeing here is not just substandard work, but serious disrespect towards the communities in this area; for a developer to build houses without installing the necessary drainage system and the necessary stormwater infrastructure is total disrespect to our people,” Kunene said.
“The mess that we’re fixing might require us to dig trenches on the road that already exists, meaning JRA will then have to come back and close those trenches again once the work has been completed. Such an exercise has dire financial implications that the department and the City cannot afford.”
“We have to go to the city’s group forensic and investigation service department (GFIS) to look into who signed off on that development from both the City Planning department and JRA because there must’ve been a project manager who signed off on that project. We cannot have such shady work done in our communities where years later it is the communities that suffer,” said Kunene.
He added that the programme in Protea Glen formed part of JRA’s plans to implement emergency stormwater upgrades in areas whose roads and homes were affected by regular flooding. “The scope of work that will be carried out will comprise the installation of new stormwater drainage systems and the upgrading of existing stormwater drainage systems with associated road-related repairs such as kerbing, access repairs, and walkways.”
Kunene said upon completion, the new stormwater pipeline was earmarked to total 2 905m in length. The priority flooding areas in the roads that will be addressed in Phase 1 include Tangerine Street, Pineapple Street, Schoeman Crescent, Mynhardt Street, Kiwi Street, Narasimha Crest Street, Langenhoven Street, and Maroela Street.
Kunene said this work formed part of JRA’s plans to construct and maintain stormwater infrastructure in Protea Glen Extensions 1, 11,12,20,22, and 28. “The project will be implemented in several phases as funding becomes available.”
