Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete and MP Stephen Moore conducted an oversight visit to Pretoria Avenue to address service delivery and infrastructure concerns.

The visit focused on a months-long water leak that has seen clean water continuously running down the drains. The persistent leak has raised concerns about water wastage and the slow response to addressing the problem.

Read more: Months long water leak frustrates Ferndale residents

The unresolved leak on Pretoria Avenue has dragged on for months. On July 27, Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the bursts were due to ageing infrastructure and ground vibrations from heavy road traffic.

She confirmed that the entity has plans to replace ageing water infrastructure in the area. However, implementation remains subject to the availability of capital expenditure funding.

According to Campbell-Cloete, there is still no sign of Johannesburg Water contractors, and five leaks now plague the same pipeline as clean water continues to run down the road. Campbell-Cloete said she had escalated the issue directly to Johannesburg Water and through municipal channels up to the city manager.

Also read: City deploys teams to fix Randburg water leak

“They acknowledged the issue and, unfortunately, that was almost two months ago, and no report has been forthcoming. We need clear communication about the cause of the problem, the work being undertaken and, most importantly, when the road and surrounding area will be properly reinstated.”
She said residents have had to deal with disruption, inconvenience and uncertainty, while motorists face delays and difficult driving conditions around the affected section of Pretoria Avenue.

The ward councillor added that local businesses and commuters are also impacted.
“Residents deserve reliable services, safe roads and timely communication from the city. This issue has been ongoing for over a year with no proper timeline on when it will be fixed; this is not acceptable.”

During the oversight inspection, Campbell-Cloete and Moore identified several additional issues along the avenue. These included malfunctioning traffic lights, damaged areas requiring pavement reinstatement, and an open drain posing a potential safety hazard to pedestrians and motorists.

Johannesburg Water was sent follow-up queries on September 8 but had not responded by the time of going to print.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!