Heavy rains compound agency’s neglect
RUIMSIG - Residents appaulled by neglected and dangerous gravel roads.
Residents of the Two Rivers Country Estate and Zonnehoewe are finding it increasingly difficult to travel on the gravel roads in the area due to the recent heavy rains and a lack of maintenance by the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
“Good luck getting through there without a 4×4,” said resident Johann Vosloo. “We’ve been dealing with the deterioration of these roads for a good couple of years already, but now, after the floods, it’s in the worst state we’ve ever seen.”
Three years ago councillor Jaco Engelbrecht put a request through to the agency to have the roads in tarred, but this has not been done yet. “I was told by governing bodies that these roads are not a priority, as the residents who live on agricultural holdings in the northern suburbs there are ‘non deserving,’ according to them.”
Engelbrecht feels that these roads are dangerous to motorists and pedestrians alike. “Will it have to take someone getting hurt before regional council take action? Let’s hope not.”
Thus far, only earthmoving equipment has been used to level the gravel roads. And this is only occasionally. This, along with increased usage of the roads, has not only weakened the roads, but also damaged the storm drains that were laid in 2000.
Also, wiring protruding from these storm drains has caused a number of flat tyres.
The agency has responded and stated that these roads are part of its “Agricultural Holding Gravel Road programme” for the 2014 financial year. Therefore, says spokesperson Bertha Scheepers, these roads will be rehabilitated in the coming months in line with maintenance schedules, but they will remain gravel roads.
“A moratorium has been placed on surfacing of agricultural gravel roads in Agricultural Holding areas due to the fact that people living on small holdings want to have the farm feeling,” said Scheepers. “Thus no surfacing of any gravel roads will be done. Surfacing of these roads will exploit the possibility of further development in these areas, which the city would like to deter. Surfacing will also have a negative impact on horses.”
She continued to explain that governing bodies had made available limited funding to re-gravel some of the roads in all Agricultural Holding areas.
New graders and rollers have been purchased for this purpose. “These roads will only become surfaced roads when densification [development] is approved for these areas.”
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