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02/10/2008 12:41 PM - (SA) 'Unique' road project fails to impress 03/10/08
TEMPERS flared when the bad road surfaces in Strand were discussed at the recent Helderberg Subcouncil meeting. "I represent the public, and they want answers," a hot under the collar ward councillor, Dave Venter, said. He complained about damaged road surfaces, holes in the roads, residents who were not able to access their flats for weeks and that no attempts were made to divert traffic along narrow roads like De Beers. "The intersection at Hofmeyer and George Street is a mess. People are damaging their cars and wheels and my phone does not stop ringing," he claimed. Councillor Venter tabled a motion of exigency asking that an urgent explanation be given to why all the streets where water pipes were being replaced, couldn't' be repaired and sealed to an acceptable standard immediately after the work was completed. The replacement of the water main for high rise buildings in Beach Road, is affecting roads like De Beers, Main, Beach , Michau, Wesley, Fagan and George Streets. Many roads were repaired with only a gravel surfaces and left for weeks and after the heavy rains and some road surfaces became impassable. Joe Coetzee of Ninham Shand, the consulting engineers, came under fire when he tried to explain the situation. "It is an unique project, one of the first in the country, with horizontal drilling in high traffic areas and open excavation only in sections so as not to disrupt traffic flow," he said. He explained that some of the services had been put in as early as 1908 and that not knowing what was undergound, the project could only be decided on after the tender was awarded and existing services exposed. "Only then could the design be amended and special materials ordered." He admitted the contractor had not been a "model contractor" and "missed certain windows of opportunity when the weather was good". Sections of the road that were not repaired, were due to pipes only being partially complete, supply delays and leaking pipes and the fact that no road works could be done immediately after the rain. "The public has been remarkably understanding and patient," he said. The councillors were not so understanding. "We do not want to know what services are undergound," an angry councillor Johan Middleton declared. Councillor Xolani Sotashe also did not want to know what happened in the time of his forefathers. 'We want to know what steps are being taken now to address the problems." "Will the work be done by end of October when the contract expires?" Councillor Frank Gutuza asked. He also wanted to know who was responsible for the resurfacing. Penalties will be imposed
"The contractor submits a programme which we amend and approve. It is in his own interest to finish the work on time as penalties will be imposed after the contract expires. Actions taken include an additional team for the reinstatement of roads and an extra team for daily sweeping." He admitted traffic control was a problem. "But we liaise daily with the traffic department. We cannot be on the site full time or do the work for the contractor. We can only advise him." "I think this is one of the worst managed contracts I have ever seen! I would like to put it on record that I don't hold the contractor, but the consultants responsible," an angry Councillor Venter said.
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