Waterkloof residents rally over rusted, busted pipes

More than a hundred residents from Waterkloof and surrounding areas physically signed a petition on April 15, calling on Tshwane to reinstate the water pipe replacement project in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).

The petition, which was led by Ward 82 Councillor Siobhan Muller, comes after the community discovered that the project was no longer included in the metro’s draft IDP, despite ongoing water infrastructure failure.

Residents have reached their breaking point following repeated water outages caused by burst pipes, particularly along Julius Jeppe and Heloma streets.

Julius Jeppe resident Ian Fuller wrote to Rekord to express his frustration, stating that the street has experienced over 17 pipe bursts since February 1.

“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,” he said.

Fuller added that the temporary repairs are not only ineffective but also wasteful.

He said after repairs, the same pipes leaked again just metres away from where they had previously been patched.

“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.”

JP Ronquet, another resident, echoed the same frustrations after a pipe burst on April 11 left parts of the area without water again.

“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,” he said.

Muller said she opted for a physical petition to reach out to residents she had only previously interacted with on WhatsApp.

“Waterkloof’s infrastructure is 60 years old. The valves that are supposed to isolate sections during repairs no longer work.

They are rusted, busted, and some are just completely non-functional. Every time repairs are done, they have to switch off the reservoir,” she said.

Muller confirmed that there have been over 17 recorded water leaks on Julius Jeppe and Heloma streets since February 1.

She said the pipes in those areas have been repeatedly repaired but are in such poor condition that they simply continue to break down.

Muller added that the discovery that the water pipe replacement project had been excluded from the draft IDP came as a shock.

“I have taken steps to submit this petition along with other community inputs that were not reflected in the draft,” she said.

She explained that the Tshwane metro appears to be under the misconception that the IDP is updated only once every five years.

“That is simply not true. Councillors are asked to submit new inputs every year.

The current draft used inputs from last year, which included projects that are already completed.”

She said the IDP is a five-year plan, but it is reviewed and renewed annually.

According to Muller, the continued neglect of Waterkloof’s infrastructure has significant financial and operational consequences.

“The impact includes a huge loss of income due to water wastage and business interruptions in areas like Hazelwood and Waterkloof.”

Muller stated that every household and restaurant needs water for their daily operations.

She also disputed the metro’s claim that water tankers are dispatched promptly during water outages.

“That’s not true. They only arrive after several days,” she said.

She added that because Waterkloof spans two wards, she has the support of Councillor Shane Maas, who had previously included the same project in IDP discussions.

“If the metro doesn’t take action on this, we are prepared to escalate it to the provincial government,” Muller said.

“We are constantly told to save water due to restrictions, yet these old pipes burst all the time, spilling thousands of litres.”

Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said that the replacement of old water network pipelines in Waterkloof (Region 3) still forms part of the metro’s overall pipeline replacement programme.

He said multiple projects under this programme are allocated to appointed contractors each financial year.

Mashigo explained that while Waterkloof’s work package was compiled, it could not yet be allocated to a contractor due to outstanding wayleave approvals and budget constraints.

“As a result, the city moved ahead with the pipeline replacement in Waverley, where approvals were already in place.

“The wayleaves for the pipelines in Waverley were approved, and it made sense to proceed there first, given numerous delays in the past,” said Mashigo.

He stated that the Waterkloof project will be allocated to a contractor as soon as wayleaves are approved and the budget becomes available.

Mashigo also clarified that there is no consultation process required for project allocations under this particular programme.

“The allocation/project (Waterkloof Phase 2) was and is not removed,” he said.

According to Mashigo, the metro’s Water and Sanitation Department uses a formula to prioritise areas for infrastructure upgrades based on the age of the pipes and the history and frequency of leaks and bursts.

“Work packages are compiled and allocated as soon as the budget is available,” he said.

When asked if Waterkloof had ever been officially included in a previous IDP draft, Mashigo confirmed that there was a signed work package for Waterkloof Phase 2.

He added that Waterkloof Phase 1 formed part of a package that also included Mountain View and Muckleneuk.

“The project started during the 2023/24 financial year and was completed at the end of January 2025.”

Mashigo acknowledged that the metro is aware of the water infrastructure issues in Waterkloof.

He said Region 3 is responsible for the operational maintenance of existing infrastructure in the meantime.

Mashigo urged residents wishing to have their area prioritised in future IDP cycles to work through their ward councillors.

Regarding community petitions such as the one led by Muller, he said the city would respond in writing to the ward councillor or through the petition committee.

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