Durban – Two bakkies and counting.
That’s what a Durban business is doing after a huge municipality-dug trench nearly swallowed a second bakkie this week outside their printing firm, at the intersection of South Coast and Luton roads in Montclair.
The business owners are now concerned that the trench, dug up by the eThekwini Municipality in August to repair a section of the road, could cause damage to other cars.
This week, the bakkies became partially submerged when they drove into what had developed into a sinkhole after heavy rain filled it with water.
The business owners claim that after digging the trench, municipal workers had not returned to complete the job.
In addition to the two lanes on South Coast Road, the hole is on a road parallel to the factories, but separated from the main road by a grassy kerb.
Picture: Supplied
Les Staats, one of the business owners on the stretch of road, said he had called the municipality at least four times.
He said he was flabbergasted by why the municipality had not returned to re-tar the road.
“Over the few months, the hole filled up with water and began expanding. The rain water has collected in the hole which has become a trench. Drivers not familiar with the road surface drive over it thinking they were passing through a puddle of water,” he said.
According to Staats, the drivers were unharmed and tow trucks winched out the bakkies, one of which belonged to Blue Security.
Gavin Hegter, Montclair ward councillor, said he would liaise with the roads department to expedite the repair. The city has not yet responded to the claim.
Blue Security spokesperson Lyse Comins also did not respond.