Member of the Executive Council (MEC) and RISE Mzansi’s national chairperson, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, conducted an oversight in Blairgowrie following an over two-month water leak at the corner of Gordon and McKay avenues.

Read more: Community says it took too long to fix Farmall leak

The leak was first reported early in August, and fresh water has been running down the street. It has caused damage to the side of the road, as well as to other roads, most noticeably Judy Road. It has not been attended to despite being reported and escalated by residents and the local councillor.

Ramokgopa said that her visit came after a call from frustrated residents who asked for assistance with escalating the issue. Joburg Water (JW) had attended to the leak but the trench had been left full of water.

Also read: Still no word from Johannesburg Water on the 5-year church ground leak

The MEC also engaged residents on the ongoing JW crisis in the city, with Randburg water infrastructure seemingly frail, as excavations are left unattended at every corner.

“We continue to witness half-work being done all around the city by JW; the induced decay of the city is a signal of the leadership vacuum we all feel and witness. As such, I am calling for the mayor to step up and define a plan for the critical water infrastructure. As it stands, it is reported that the community of Blairgowrie loses about 4 800 litres of water every 12 hours, while many go without the very same water.

“We need new and capable leaders to unite and bring about change in our communities. The city council has failed, and as such, we need to punish them for this failure. We have reported the issue to JW, and we will use much-needed pressure to ensure that they provide the services they are responsible for.”

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