MMC Public Works conducts an oversight visit in Waldrift

Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) acting Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Works, Cllr. Hassan Mako conducted an unexpected oversight visit at Beril Road and part of Andesite Avenue in Waldrift, where the Municipality was hard at work milling and resurfacing the roadways. 

The visit took place on Tuesday, 23 May 2023. The road resurfacing work forms part of the road resealing program which covers damaged roads across the municipality. An amount of R20 million has been reserved for this program. Mako said, “The roadwork in Waldrift is part of a comprehensive programme that will deal with the challenges of providing good quality road infrastructure in Emfuleni”.

Before work started on Beril Road, Mako had an opportunity to attend a meeting called by Ward 16 Councillor, Cllr. Madoda Mkhumbeni, wherein the community raised their frustrations. The run-down state of Beril Road and the connecting Andesite Avenue formed part of the discussions which were followed by a thorough inspection of the road. 

“Beril and Andesite serve as the main roads that connect parts of Waldrift, seeing them in the condition they were, riddled with potholes and outright impractical to road users during my last visit was just unfortunate. Today, change has come to the community of Waldrift, and I am fully satisfied with the work done in a space of 24 hours since construction started”, Mako said.   

Mako added that the Roads and Stormwater Department is still left with only one project repairing the collapsed stormwater catchment system at the corner of Andesite Avenue and Old Johannesburg Road. The municipality is in the process of procurement.

“Even though I am satisfied with the work completed on these two important roads in Waldrift, I understand that the resurfacing of Andesite Avenue will not be fully completed before the stormwater system is repaired. Procurement processes are still unfolding and once completed, work can commence. We are pleading with the community of Waldrift to be patient with us, soon, Andesite Avenue will be fully usable,” MMC Mako added.

Speaking to Mr. Moloko, a resident of Waldrift for more than 30 years and said that as a regular road user, he is grateful for the work that the municipality is doing and hopes that more streets in and around Waldrift are attended to.

“Even though the community of Waldrift is not the easiest to work with, I am overly impressed with Councillor Madoda for his work ethic and patience when it comes to serving us. It is not always smooth sailing, most of the time we are at loggerheads but the outcomes are in the best interest of the community. Cllr. Madoda must keep up the good work, we are closely watching him, Moloko said.