A burst pipe reported in April by a Kruinhof Retirement Village resident still has not been repaired.

Resident Diana Kent said she has repeatedly contacted customer care but has not received a reference number for her complaints.

When The NEWS visited the retirement village on September 30, water was still gushing from the burst pipe.

A blocked drain next to it had also gone unaddressed, leaving Kent frustrated after months of reporting with no action.

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“If we report anything, we are told, ‘no money or no contractors.’ I think a lot of departments get a certain amount of money from the government, which is supposed to be used to fix this village,” Kent said.

“After saving some money, she hired a plumber who visited on Wednesday, September 24. He discovered that the tap was broken and recommended a qualified plumber.

“Kent then emailed the woman in charge of the village but received no response. “This is a terrible waste of water, and Ekurhuleni really do not care,” she said.

Ward 92 Councillor Kade Guerreiro explained that the human settlements department, through the Ekurhuleni Housing Company (EHC), owns Kruinhof village. “Unfortunately, zero maintenance is done within the village.

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“I constantly get reports of roofs leaking, burst pipes, sewage blockages, geyser problems, and other general maintenance issues.

“While I report these weekly, the city doesn’t help and blames budget constraints for the delays,” he said.

Guerreiro added that residents often have to fix problems themselves due to the lack of maintenance and accountability from EHC. He also said the MMC for human settlements appears uninterested in these social housing properties.

“For the residents, I recommend they continue to report issues and hold Ekurhuleni accountable. If they have the means, they might try fixing problems themselves.

“For Ekurhuleni and the current administration, I urge them to acknowledge the need for these social properties, maintain them properly, and care for vulnerable people. If there are budget issues, at least communicate them to residents,” Guerreiro said.

City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said all the reported issues have been logged. He explained that due to an unavailable budget in the previous financial year, ending June 30, 2025, repairs could not be carried out.

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The new financial year began on July 1, 2025, and the human settlements department is awaiting the appointment of a new panel of contractors to address repairs and maintenance.

The city added that Supply Chain Management processes for this are at an advanced stage.

“With the provided budget, the city has conducted various repairs, including supplying gate remotes, plumbing work, painting, and refurbishing vacant units, using contractors from the approved panel of service providers,” Dlamini said.