SOD TURNING MARKS CELEBRATORY MOMENT FOR EVATON WEST EXTENSION 5 AND 7 COMMUNITIES

Mayor Radebe welcomes the project and calls on the community for support, on Wednesday, 20 November 2024.

 

The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) is happy to announce that the first sod was turned at Ward 26 in Evaton West Extension 5 and 7 on Monday, 18 November 2024 marking the official beginning of construction work to be done at the site.

 

ELM Executive Mayor, Cllr. Sipho Radebe joined by Cllr. Tumi Mochawe, MMC Public Works, Cllr. Ndade Mokoena, MMC Public Safety, Cllr. Isaac Lekhema, Ward 26 Councillor, and South African Road Agency Limited (SANRAL) representatives at the official sod turning. The reconstruction of the main street in Evaton West Extension 5 and 7 forms part of the municipality’s ongoing attempts to improve quality road infrastructure in Emfuleni.

 

The purpose-built road has been budgeted for R16 million and will cover 1,2 kilometers. The road will feature a sidewalk and a stormwater drainage system to prevent pooling. Contractors have started with preliminary works (site preparation, planning, design, and mock-ups) to ensure the construction process is rolled out seamlessly. Works are scheduled to commence this month and are expected to be completed in March 2025 provided all goes as planned.

 

Councillor Isaac Lekhema said he is happy that the plight of the community he is serving has been heard by the municipality and SANRAL. “We are overjoyed as the Evaton West community that a road project we’ve been longing for has finally come to our area. The road reconstruction is highly welcomed as the community will no longer struggle to go to work and school during rainy seasons”.

 

Executive Mayor Sipho Radebe pointed out that the municipality is determined to deliver services to communities as required. The mayor further indicated that the municipality is aware of the challenges Evaton West Extension 5 and 7 communities have been facing for some time because of the state of the road.

 

“Since December 2021, our communities have been complaining about this street, now popularly known as the swimming pool road. Because of budget challenges, the municipality could not help as and when expected. After several site visits and observing how this community struggled during rainy seasons, we approached different government spheres for help, and we are thankful that SANRAL has come on board,” the Mayor said.

 

 

“Reconstruction of this road means parents getting to work earlier, children getting to school earlier, emergency vehicles accessing the area quicker and most importantly, the communities of Extension 5 and 7 burying their loved ones without worrying about a bad access road. We call on the affected Evaton West community to support the project to aid its scheduled completion,” Mayor Radebe added.

The municipality is mindful of how busy the road is and as a result, safety controls will be in place during construction. We are committed to minimizing the impact of the work on residents and appreciate your patience throughout this crucial project.