Ongoing water waste angers Benoni AH residents
“The people paying rates are being put in a position where they cannot earn money so that they can pay rates.”
Frustrated Ward 25 residents in Benoni AH are demanding answers from their ward councillor, Marinda Beukes, and the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) about the water leak at the corner of Birch Road and Hazel Road.
The residents, part of the HELM Community Initiative, want to know when the CoE will repair the leak as clean water goes to waste.
They repaired the leak in May 2023, hoping the municipality would replace a worn-out piece of the main pipe that is the primary cause.
“In its current state, it has been like this for the past six months,” said community member Alan Mallinick.
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The Benoni City Times visited the site on April 4. We found a pool of water coming from the leaking pipe before forming a stream that flowed down Hazel Road. Reeds and thick vegetation conceal the area around the leak.
Mallinick explained they repaired the leak because of inaction from the municipality and the council never following up; it was a temporary repair.
“The repair lasted more than a year. At the time, the municipality undertook to repair the entire piece of pipe that was worn out. Nothing happened because our repair lasted.
“Our ward councillor or municipality never followed up. It was reported multiple times but nothing has come of it,” Mallinick said.
Despite notifying Beukes about the leak, she provided no feedback.
“She is aware of the leak. If she says she is not aware of it, that means she is not doing her job in the area designated to her. Several community members reported it multiple times,” he said.
All the residents want is honest feedback from Beukes.
“The inability to be a conduit for communication between the residents and municipality stands head and shoulders above everything else. It is a big part of all this. The community wants honest feedback from her.”
Mallinick is despondent because their grievances are not being addressed by the CoE.
“The salient point is water is a precious resource and is being wasted. It does not matter if it is 50l going down the road, why is it so unimportant for the municipality to do something about the problem?”
He said this was unfair to the rate-paying residents, who sometimes have to part with thousands of Rands to patch potholes and repair electrical infrastructure in the area.
“The CoE is paid to deliver services but they are not. Whether it is a question of resources or anything else, they get paid to do a job. Why are they not doing it?
“The people paying rates are being put in a position where they cannot earn money so that they can pay rates.”
Beukes said she reported the leak to the CoE but never received feedback.
The City Times is awaiting comment from the municipality.
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