Originally published on 29 August 2024
People living in Parkmore, a suburb in Joburg, dealt with damaged roads because of a leaking pipe in one of their roads. Although fixing roads is what we pay the local government to do through our taxes, the community took action to support the City of Johannesburg’s backlog.
What was the problem?
A water leak on Holt Street in Parkmore worried locals. Joburg Water changed a broken pipe two months ago, but the pipe continued to leak. This caused damage to the road surface. Cars driving over the unfixed part broke the pipe again, leading to more water leaking and bigger holes in the road. This was dangerous for drivers and people walking on the streets.
How did they solve it?
Residents Susan Kemp and Ronald Ncube decided to fix the problem themselves. They filled the holes with stones and sand to make the road usable and channelled the leaking water to the pavement. Kemp reported the problem to Ward 90 councillor Martin Williams, who promised to make it a priority with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).
Read more
- Morningside Manor residents expressed concerns over Joburg Water reinstatement methods
- Water leak revealed need for road signs on Sutherland Avenue
- Not all crevices were potholes, JRA explained
Acknowledgements:
Original article written by: Duduzile Khumalo
Photograph supplied by: Sandton Chronicle
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
- How to set up a community group
- How to start a WhatsApp group
- How to start a residents' association
- How to set up a community policing forum
- How to set up a neighbourhood watch
- How to organise community action
- How to use media to create pressure for change
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
eThekwini
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