CHDM explains delay after Livingstone Road pipe repairs

A section of Livingstone Road in Komani remains unfinished following recent water pipeline repairs carried out in the middle of the road between Stepping Stone Primary School and Blue Rise.

The work involved digging up a section running through the centre of the road to repair the pipeline. Although the road has reopened, the section where the digging took place is still muddy and sandy and has not yet been properly repaired.

Motorists travelling through the area have to move around the uneven section in the middle of the road.

Komani News visited Livingstone Road on 8 August and found the repaired pipeline section still unfinished.

Old pipes and rubble from the work were also lying on parts of the pavement alongside the road.

Chris Hani District Municipality spokesperson Ms Ngceke confirmed that the municipality is responsible for maintaining the water pipeline and removing the material left behind after the repairs.

“The district municipality is responsible for maintenance of water pipeline as well as removal of rubble and old pipes,” Ngceke said.

Asked why the affected area had not yet been fully repaired, Ngceke said the soil used to backfill the excavation needed time to dry.

“The backfilled soil has to dry up where excavations have occurred, due to its depth in the trench it takes longer. In the meantime, CHDM is engaging other affected stakeholders to play their role in Livingstone Road repairs,” she said.

Ngceke also confirmed that the removal of the old pipes and rubble from the area had started, but said the work was progressing slowly because of limited resources.

“The process of removing rubble and old pipes has already started though taking longer due to limited resources,” she said.

Komani News also asked when the affected section of Livingstone Road would be permanently repaired. No specific timeframe for the permanent repair was provided in the response.

The affected stretch runs from the Stepping Stone Primary School side of Livingstone Road towards Blue Rise.