Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy has raised urgent concerns over an open excavation site at the corner of Lingerett Lane and Tana Weg, which has remained unresolved for months, leaving residents frustrated and exposed to ongoing disruption.

Reddy said one of the main issues is a key inlet (KI) that has not been replaced for more than three months, with delays reportedly linked to a dispute between Johannesburg Water and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) over payment responsibilities.

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“Johannesburg Water came in, and JRA subsequently told us they’re not doing it until Johannesburg Water pays them. There was an internal account issue. So, we’ve been waiting for over three months for the KI to be replaced,” he explained.

While that matter remains unresolved, Reddy said conditions have worsened. A separate leak, discovered recently, has been left unattended for weeks, narrowing a busy road to a single lane and creating further inconvenience for motorists.

“The residents are really upset; they’re frustrated. Because you can see the road is just narrowed to one lane.”

Beyond this site, the ward faces wider infrastructure challenges. Reddy noted multiple pipe bursts, including three incidents within just three days near homes, with one case flooding garages and properties.

Sunninghill, described as an older suburb with infrastructure dating back roughly 50 years, has been particularly hard hit.

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Reddy said frequent pipe bursts affecting both water and sewer systems have disrupted businesses and left households without water.

“We’ve been requesting through the IDP that Sunninghill have pipe replacements for sewer and water. Water is the main issue. Essentially, we are being ignored.”

He added that requests for infrastructure upgrades submitted through formal processes, including RFQs (Requests for Quotations) dating back to last August, have not been approved, leaving the community dependent on emergency repairs rather than long-term solutions.

Safety concerns are also mounting over multiple open excavation sites across the ward.

One site on Choba Road, where a KI reportedly still needs to be rebuilt, has been left open since November last year. Other sites show limited signage or protective barriers.

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“If you look at the sites, there are no proper danger signs. Tape is being removed, and we are being left to manage these situations on our own.”

Reddy said residents and local associations have often had to secure unsafe areas themselves, a responsibility he believes should fall to the city.

“We cannot rely on private individuals all the time to fix and manage these problems. The city has to step up, come to the party, and attend to issues that have been left for months.”

Both Johannesburg Water and JRA promised to comment, but none was received at the time of going to print.

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