A four-year-old boy’s death last April still haunts the Paulshof community. He drowned after falling into an uncovered Johannesburg Water excavation in Ginger Park, a tragedy residents say could have been prevented with proper oversight.

Now, right across the road from that fatal site, an open excavation has been leaking for two years, yet city authorities remain locked in a cycle of blame and inaction.

Read more: Major Fourways leak fixed after councillor pressures city

Mike Msophi, a resident of Ginger Park informal settlement, said the ongoing leak is a constant source of fear for them. “That boy’s life was lost because of carelessness. That hole was left open, and we lost a child because of it. Now, right across the road, another excavation has been left open for three months, and this time, water has been leaking there for two years. It is like no one has learned a lesson.”

The leak outside Bryan Brook Estate on Witkoppen Road was first reported in 2023. Despite repeated site visits by Johannesburg Water (JW), the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), and the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GPDRT), no single entity has taken responsibility.

@caxtonjoburgnorth The open excavation outside Bryan Brook Estate. For two years, this water leak has been left unresolved. Residents say it damages the road, and recalls the tragedy of a four-year-old boy who drowned in an uncovered excavation last year. #Fourways #johannesburgwater ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Also read: City entities point fingers as Bryan Brook water leak drags on

JW insists the water is groundwater and has referred the matter to JRA, while GPDRT is expected to handle final road reinstatement once repairs are completed.

Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy criticised the lack of coordination.
“There is a major disconnect between these government entities. They keep shifting blame while the community suffers daily.”

Residents say the leak has caused dangerous potholes, worsened traffic congestion, and flooded pathways.

Nombuso Shabalala from Joburg Water said Johannesburg Water’s depot team conducted an assessment on the site and found that there is no leak coming from JW water pipes. “The water is instead coming from the sleeve. The team conducted a water test, and the results indicated that it is groundwater.
It has therefore been escalated to the Johannesburg Roads Agency.”

The Fourways Review reached out to JRA for comment, and no response was received. More information will be provided once it becomes available.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!