“What I cannot understand is that Merafong cannot pay their water account by Rand Water, but is does not bother them that water is still streaming into a drain from a water leak on which they had worked four weeks ago.”

These are the words of Sydney, an upset resident of Welverdiend, who complained about an ongoing water leak at the corner of 6th Avenue and 9th Street.

The Herald visited this same leak on September 11 after another resident, Cathy Kucharski, made the newspaper aware of the problem.

At the time, water was streaming from an open hole at the corner.

Another resident, Jan Jacobus Coetzee mentioned that municipal workers had dug the hole to fix a previous water leak, but never returned to come and check that the problem has been permanently solved.

Since this time, residents of the area have been trying to get help from the municipality and councillors.
When the Herald visited the site, there was also another water leak nearby in 7th Avenue.

Meanwhile, residents of Greenspark have also been complaining about ongoing water leaks around Fisant Street and near the pedestrian bridge. A ward councillor from Carletonville, Carlos Rebelo, also expressed his frustration about the fact that water leaks in his ward are not attended to. He says the worst streets are in the area of the section of Onyx Drive leading out of town. Kowie Street, Amanzimtoti Street and Marico Street are regularly affected.

“There are four places where the water is leaking that I have reported to the municipality several times, it’s crazy,” says Rebelo. He added that criminals are also making matters worse by stealing water meters. Water then streams from the broken meters until they have been repaired.

Although the municipality repairs some of these broken meters in a day, one family had to wait two months to have their meter fixed.

Residents have also complained about water leaks in other towns, such as Blybank and Fochville recently. As far as could be determined, these leaks have eventually been fixed, but only after several complaints to the municipality.

Despite the fact that the municipality often leaves water leaking for some time, it currently owes Rand Water a massive R1 657 650 558. The municipality also still owes Eskom a whopping R2 450 975 335.