2 years on, Aviary Hill leaks still run rampant
The leaks have caused extensive damage to boundary walls, with residents fearing that the walls could soon collapse.
Once a quiet, upmarket and pristine neighbourhood, Aviary Hill is anything but that lately and residents say they have had enough.
“We pay a lot of money to live here! It is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in Newcastle, where we probably pay the most in terms of municipal expenses, yet we’re receiving absolutely no service delivery here!” said a resident who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of victimisation.
The resident called the Advertiser last week to raise concerns over several major issues that have plagued the neighbourhood, including severe water leaks, illegal dumping, sewage spills, broken street lights and potholes.
Two years of water damage leaves residents fearing the worst
Another major issue brought to the Advertiser’s attention is a two-year-long water leak at the corner of Victoria and Drakensberg roads.
The leak was first reported in August 2024 and has since been reported regularly to local ward councillors, ward committee members, municipal senior executive directors and several municipal departments.
Eventually, in June 2026, the municipality sent a team to start working on the problem.
However, the pressure-reducing valve has remained an issue, causing thousands of litres of water to flood two large open trenches left behind after workers left the site.
It is said that the municipality has been to the area a few times since then to drain the water from the trenches, but the actual problem has still not been repaired.
Newcastle Advertiser editor Zianne Leibrandt, together with Shawn Vermaak and Aasiya Bhigjee, visited the site this week and was shocked to find water gushing from the pressure-reducing valve.
The leaks have caused extensive damage to the boundary walls of properties along Drakensberg Road, with residents fearing that the walls could soon collapse as a result of the structural damage.
Their properties have also suffered damage as a result of the constant water leaks.
“This is not only a massive waste of water, but it is dangerous. There are kids who play in this area and ride their bikes. What if they fall in? They will get very hurt or worse, they could drown. This needs to be sorted out once and for all now.”
The Advertiser was made aware that the municipality held a wide-scale oversight inspection across Newcastle on August 31, where officials addressed multiple long-standing service delivery issues.
Senior municipal management – including Senior Executive Director for Community Services Mr Dlamini, Acting Senior Executive Director Ms Thabisile Sithole, directors, managers, technical officials and representatives from various municipal departments, including Technical Services and Community Services – attended the site.
However, the area was cordoned off with danger tape before the officials left, without informing residents of their plan of action.
Ward councillor says repeated reports have fallen on deaf ears
Speaking to the Advertiser, Democratic Alliance Ward 2 Councillor Bebsie Cronjè said she was beyond frustrated with the oversight visits held on Monday the 31st, as ward councillors were neither informed of the visits nor invited to attend.
“This is my ward and I should have been there to show them all the issues that have been brought up time and time again!” she said.
She continued that, “I have reported this exact same water leak on several occasions, but it seems to fall on deaf ears! Even our ward committee has jumped in and has been trying to get this resolved. We’re at our wits’ end at this point!” she concluded.
The Newcastle Advertiser reached out to the municipal spokesperson regarding the issue and will publish the municipality’s comment as soon as it is received.
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