RESIDENTS are demanding urgent action from eThekwini Municipality over persistent water leaks along Mazisi Kunene Road in Manor Gardens, saying repeated repairs have failed to resolve the problem.

The Manor Gardens Ratepayers and Residents Association (MGRRPA) said the most serious leak was on the busy arterial road near a blind rise approaching from the UKZN Howard College side towards Marist Brothers School. According to the association, municipal workers have excavated the road several times over the past month in attempts to locate and repair the leak.

Bryan Ashe, MGRRPA committee member and concerned resident, said the most recent excavation and repair was on October 1 but water was still running down the road after workers left.

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Ashe said this was the third occasion in about a month that work had been carried out without the underlying problem being permanently resolved. “The immediate priority is to stop the leaks and make the road safe. But the bigger question is why residents are seeing repeated failures and repeated repairs without a permanent solution,” said the MGRRPA.

The association said the leaks had been repeatedly reported through municipal systems and escalated to water and sanitation officials, while some reports had allegedly been closed despite the leaks remaining unresolved.

Residents are now calling for an assessment of the Manor Gardens and Westridge water network to determine whether a planned pipe replacement or infrastructure renewal programme is needed.

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“The problems have been repeatedly reported through eThekwini’s reporting systems and escalated to the Department of Water and Sanitation and DWS KZN Water Services Regulator,” said Ashe.

The residents’ concerns come as eThekwini Municipality says it has made significant progress in addressing water leaks across the city. The municipality said reported leaks had fallen by 70%, from 13 000 in July to 3900, after more than 9000 leaks were repaired.

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said the city had also reduced non-revenue water from 58% to 55%, with a target of below 50% by year-end.

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“While we are making steady progress, we are not yet where we need to be. Our focus remains squarely on closing the remaining leaks and bringing non-revenue water below 50%. Every litre lost to vandalism and illegal connections is water taken directly from residents, and we ask communities to partner with us to protect this infrastructure. These activities are placing severe pressure on the network, disrupting reliable water supply to communities and contributing to rising non-revenue water losses,” said Xaba.

Residents are urged to report leaks, burst pipes, infrastructure vandalism, and illegal connections to the municipality. Community reporting assists operations teams to respond swiftly and aids law enforcement in holding perpetrators accountable.

For water-related queries or to log faults, residents can download the eThekwini Municipality mobile app, send a WhatsApp to 073 1483 477, call the toll-free number 080 311 1111, or email eservices@durban.gov.za.

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