LATEST NEWS on ConnectParkview FTTH-Network

8 May 2015

Dear Parkview  and Greenside East Residents and Ratepayers,

We have been advised by DFA, that the Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) has stopped the in-road-trenching as part of the Fibre-To-The-Home Project in Parkview owing to a technicality on the wayleave that was granted to DFA in December last year.

DFA has been using ‘micro-trenching’ in the roads, which avoids a lot of disruption that other suburbs have experienced where the trenches are being dug entirely on the verges. The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has now stopped DFA using this method in Parkview until DFA and their contractors conclude tests and surveying in the suburb.

The contractors are busy dealing with this issue with the authorities. The PRA has also written to the JRA in support of the DFA in arguing for allowing micro-trenching to continue. This is an established technology that DFA has used in Johannesburg (including Parkview) before so we do not see why JRA should now object to it.
Micro-trenching is a fast and effective method with minimal environmental and social impact. This is one of the reasons why the PRA chose DFA over other contractors. DFA is a reputable fibre company and has dug thousands of kms within JRA’s area using in-road-trenching. The technologies they are using (including the method of ‘backfilling’ and reinstatement) have also been previously approved. However, at this stage, we are unable to give any indication of how long it will take to resolve.

In the last couple of weeks, the contractors have undertaken a scan of roads and verges at the request of JRA which we hope will demonstrate that there are significant reasons for the JRA to approve of the in-road rather than verge trenching. In-road-trenching has minimal impact on our beautiful suburb and ensures minimal obstruction and destruction to our verges and tree-lined streets. An additional aspect is to ensure no damage is caused to the roots of these old trees, one of the attractions of our suburb.

In the meantime, the project is still ongoing. The stoppage by JRA does not affect the digging of the small trenches from the kerb across the verge to the boundary walls of residences as carried out in ‘Area 1’ of the project roll-out (Greenside East and Parkview: Donegal, Dundalk and Tyrone including side streets up to Kinross).
The contractors have completed this work in ‘Area 1’ and are now due to start installing “buried” boxes (or access connection boxes) at the boundary walls, as well as handholes required to feed the fibre into the network.
While the contractors are waiting to resolve the issues with the JRA, the contractors have agreed to close up the open manholes for safety reasons.
This means that the orange pipes at a boundary wall will be sticking out temporarily on the verges.

We are of course disappointed at this delay which is beyond the control of the PRA or DFA. As soon as we get further news we will tell you. In the meantime be assured that the PRA are actively engaging the authorities and keeping in touch with DFA on a daily basis.

Christina Heffernan
for ConnectParkview
Cell. 079 9782238
connect@parkview.org.za