Johannesburg Water has confirmed that the persistent water leak at the intersection of Bram Fischer Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue in the Randburg CBD has been permanently repaired, bringing to a close a matter that has drawn repeated attention from this newspaper.

The utility’s spokesperson, Nombuso Shabalala, said the repair was completed once all the specialised materials and technical resources required for the work had been secured. Contrary to earlier indications that a temporary solution would first be put in place, Joburg Water said the team was ultimately able to proceed directly with a permanent fix.

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“Johannesburg Water initially indicated that a temporary intervention would be implemented while preparations were underway for a permanent repair. However, following further technical assessments and the successful sourcing of the required materials and resources, the team was able to proceed directly with a permanent repair,” said Shabalala.

The repair had been expected between the end of April and the beginning of May, a deadline that passed without resolution. Shabalala said the work was finalised once all the necessary resources were in place, without providing a specific date for when the repair was completed.

Questions had also been raised about the brief return and subsequent departure of operational teams from the site, which had left residents uncertain about the progress of the work.
“The temporary withdrawal of personnel formed part of the operational process while awaiting the delivery of specialised materials and coordinating the necessary technical resources to ensure that the permanent repair could be executed effectively and safely,” she said.

Residents who had been warned to expect a water supply interruption of up to three days ahead of the repair will be relieved to learn that no such disruption occurred. Shabalala said the teams were able to carry out the repairs while the pipeline remained under pressure, meaning water supply to the area was not interrupted.

On the broader question of why it took so long to resolve the leak, Shabalala pointed to the complexity of sourcing the right materials for the job.

Also read: Johannesburg Water unable to pinpoint leak on Kelly Avenue

“The delays in fully resolving the matter were primarily due to the procurement and sourcing of specialised materials required to undertake the permanent repair. Given the nature and complexity of the infrastructure fault, Johannesburg Water had to ensure that the appropriate materials and technical solutions were secured to guarantee a sustainable and long-term repair, rather than implementing repeated short-term interventions,” she said.

The leak at the Bram Fischer Drive intersection has been the subject of previous Randburg Sun reporting, with the matter first drawing public scrutiny following a site visit by MMC Luyiso Masuku during the city’s High Impact Service Delivery Programme.

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