Councillors slam Joburg Water delays over water leak threatening Midrand business
Thousands of litres of clean water may have been lost while a Midrand company waits for repairs to a leak that is also affecting its fire hydrant system.
A water leak that has reportedly flowed unchecked for over two weeks has raised concerns among local councillors and business operators in Midrand.
They stated that the situation is not only wasting clean water but also posing a potential safety risk. Ward 132 councillor and Midrand Constituency chair Annette Deppe, accompanied by Ward 110 PR councillor Graham de Kock, recently visited a business property where a leak has allegedly remained unresolved despite being reported to Joburg Water.
According to Deppe, the affected site lies on the border of wards 92 and 110. She expressed frustration over an alleged lack of response from Johannesburg Water after the issue was reported.
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“This area we are in at the moment is in Ward 92 and Ward 110… We got a call from this company in Midrand saying that the water leak at the company entrance has been there for 14 days. They got a reference number, and they’ve [Joburg Water] come out to look, and then they said they’d be back to come and fix it. They still haven’t been back,” said Deppe.
The leak has reportedly created a large excavation at the property entrance, limiting access and raising concerns about its impact on daily operations.
De Kock said the situation extends beyond water loss and could compromise the building’s fire protection infrastructure. “Apart from the water, which is a massive concern for all of us. This leak is affecting their [the company’s] fire hydrants over there,” he explained.
“It is the only source of fire protection that this building has at the moment. So, if there is a fire, not only is the building at risk and its contents, but people as well. And so, it is a critical bit of infrastructure that does need to be fixed as soon as possible.
“Now that the city knows about it, in terms of the act, if they do nothing, and there is a problem, they’re guilty of an offence…So, I hope you understand that we probably appreciate that this is something that can’t be left in the long run, so this needs to be fixed as the absolute priority.
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“If the city wants to be a world-class city, it needs to start behaving like one, dealing with the issues as they arise; they do have enough people. I think the problem is probably not enough money and not enough resources in terms of materials to fix it. So, it’s all well around digging a hole, looking to see what the problem is, but you don’t leave it like that. You make sure that you complete the job, and then you can go on to the next one that needs to start sorting out. It’s a matter of process.”
Property manager for Tiger Auto Investments, Artur Weissnar, said businesses rely on efficient municipal services to operate successfully and remain competitive.
“I look after all the buildings that we own. As our councillors have said, I cannot say it better than they have: the only thing that I can add to it is that business operators strive to run businesses as effectively and as efficiently as possible.”
Joburg Water was contacted about when the repairs will be carried out. The entity responded, stating that the query had been noted.
“Johannesburg Water will provide a response within our standard turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the matter and input required from the relevant technical department,” said Joburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala.
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