Illegal connection to reservoir cause of water outage in Mamelodi east

The illegal connection to the Mamelodi R4 reservoir water pipes is the main reason for the persistent outages in Ikageng extension, Mamelodi east.

Recently, residents complained that taps dried up in the area and that every day since 2020, there was low water pressure or no water at all from 05:00.

Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said this could be a result of the water in the reservoir failing to reach an acceptable operating level.

He said the metro’s utility services department (USD) removed these illegal connections last year and the reservoir recovered, but the problem has since resurfaced.

“The existence of illegal dwellings erected not far from the reservoir is also making it difficult for the City to carry out day-to-day operations,” said Mashigo.

He said the USD, in conjunction with the Tshwane metro police (TMPD), is currently exploring other security strategies to safeguard the reservoir and remove all illegal connections.

Resident Patience Makaunyane said life without water is very difficult.

She said it seemed there was no solution to whatever the problem is because this has been going on for almost two years.

“The water outage affects the whole of Ikageng extension 3. We have reported the matter to the metro, but nothing has been done.

“Instead they bring a water tanker with dirty water to a community park next to Ikageng community hall without any advance notification,” said Makaunyane.

Makaunyane said the lack of communication by the metro was aggravating the community.

Residents further said they were expected to pay for services they did not even get.

Another resident, Steve Sithole, said it was a shame that the metro cannot provide such a basic service that every human being is entitled to.

He said that if one could not fill up their buckets from the tankers, they had to buy water for cooking and bathing.

“We desperately need water because we have pensioners who need water to take their chronic medication,” said Sithole.

“No one is informing us about the water issue and our ward councillor is nowhere to be found. No public meeting at the very least to explain how the problem is being fixed.”

Sithole said it seemed they were paying for the tankers to bring water to the area.

“We want water from our own taps, not dirty water from the tankers.”

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