Battle continues over Naturena reservoir

The residents and the council submitted a joint draft agreement to the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday 25 April in which it was agreed that the construction of the reservoir be shelved while the reservoir was discussed.

Construction on the new reservoir start in January this year but Naturena residents have been at loggerheads with the council ever since earth-moving operations began in February.

Homeowners allege that their houses started cracking after the drilling, excavation and blasting activities.

They also said they had not been informed of the council's plan to build a reservoir that would only benefit residents of the Devland community.

The residents filed an urgent court application on 25 April to stop operations at the site. The interdict was granted.

The following day lawyers representing the homeowners, Tshabalala Attorneys, wrote to the city council's legal representatives saying that the homeowners had been informed, through notices that rock blasting, drilling, and excavation would start again.

"We wish to place on record that any such activities will be in contravention of the court order and would amount to contempt of court," the firm wrote.

Zola Yeni, a resident, complained that the continuing activity on the construction site was in contravention of the court order.

The ruling further stipulated that the activities should not take place until 25 May while the parties consulted.

Council spokesman Gabu Tugwana said the city had given an undertaking that its appointed contractor, Probuild Construction would continue with concrete work rather than the bulk earthworks; not undertake any rock blasting, drilling or excavations and halt those activities pending consultation between some of the residents affected by the rock blasting, drilling and excavation.

He said the city would have to complete the consultation process by 25 May and comply with the court order.

Tugwana said it was not known - and was too early to conclude - whether the suspension of the mentioned activities would cause a delay in the completion of the project.

The completion date is December this year.

Source: Sowetan via I-Net Bridge