Constant water outages push Julius Jeppe residents to the brink
As failing infrastructure leaves homes dry and roads in ruins, residents call on the metro to stop the patchwork fixes and start a real solution.
Residents of Waterkloof have had enough as they continue to suffer under the weight of recurring water outages caused by deteriorating asbestos pipes.
According to resident Ian Fuller, the situation along Julius Jeppe Street between Heloma Avenue and Dely/Brooklyn Road has spiralled into chaos.
“Since January 31, we’ve had 17 burst pipe incidents just on this stretch of road,” said Fuller.
“That’s 17 times we’ve had no water, sidewalks destroyed, driveways ripped up, and litres upon litres of clean water lost. All with no permanent fix in sight.”
Fuller expressed frustration at the lack of a proactive from the metro.
He said patch repairs are both ineffective and expensive, with the same pipes springing leaks just metres away after every fix.
“It’s like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole with our infrastructure,” he said.
“We’re tired of being ignored. The value of our homes is dropping, and our quality of life is deteriorating.”
Another resident, JP Ronquet, echoed Fuller’s concerns, recounting the most recent burst pipe on Friday, April 11.
“We deal with both water and power outages, yet we continue to pay rates and taxes. This isn’t just an inconvenience anymore. It’s unsustainable.”
Image: Supplied
Ward 82 Councillor Siobhan Muller confirmed the latest incident at 459 Julius Jeppe and reiterated the urgent need for infrastructure renewal.
“These are old asbestos pipes. They need to be replaced,” she said.
Muller said she will be hosting a petition signing at the centre on Long Street this Tuesday, April 15.
She urged residents to come and sign the petition.
When asked about the issue, Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo admitted that the pipelines are well past their service lifespan.
“These asbestos pipes are prone to bursts,” he said.
According to Mashigo, every reported incident, including all 17 on Julius Jeppe, has been “prioritised and attended to”, with sections being replaced using 6m PVC pipes.
However, he added that shortages and funding issues sometimes force repair crews to install shorter segments or only do temporary fixes.
Mashigo also confirmed that the metro has escalated the matter to the Water and Sanitation Department for full pipeline replacement.
“In the meantime, residents are provided with water tankers during outages.”
He encouraged locals to report infrastructure damage to the city’s legal section for assessment.
On the matter of road and sidewalk repairs, Mashigo said efforts are “budget dependent,” with the current priority being accessibility and safety.
“Where reinstatement isn’t possible, backfilling is done to ensure safety.”
While the metro promises that upgrades are done “as needed”, there is no timeline for a permanent solution in Julius Jeppe or surrounding Waterkloof areas.
“We escalate problematic pipelines for renewal, but everything depends on available funds and resources,” said Mashigo.
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