A new pipe burst has delayed the reopening of Puttick Avenue in Sundowner after Joburg Water identified an additional leak on a 500mm pipeline.

The road was initially closed when contractors excavated the area to reach a major burst at the corner of C.R. Swart Drive.

Joburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala confirmed the matter had been escalated to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) for further intervention.

Read more: Pretoria Avenue burst worsens

“During a site inspection, an additional leak was identified at a separate point,” Shabalala said. “As a result, preparations are currently underway to carry out the necessary welding repairs before restoration work can proceed.”

Welding repairs under way

She added that their team is actively addressing the identified issues and working towards a resolution.

“Although a confirmed timeline is not yet available, all affected parties will be kept informed of progress and site activities as updates become available.”

Shabalala said the current focus is on ensuring all leaks are fully repaired and the infrastructure is stable. Once signed off, contractors will hand the site over to the JRA for road reinstatement.

Councillor calls for swift action

Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp urged residents to be careful until the road is fully restored.

“I am continuing to follow up with the relevant entities for the work to be completed as soon as possible,” Steenkamp said.

Also read: No answers for Ferndale pipe burst

He expressed concern over the reinstatement timeline, noting that road repairs usually take a long time to complete.

“We understand that can happen anywhere, but also there’s a lack of maintenance, and that’s the frustrating part: you fix one thing, but something else breaks. We hope that the entity can restore this road once the repairs are done.”

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