Pipe bursts frustrate Waterkloof residents

Waterkloof residents are yet again battling the aftermath of a burst water pipe on Julius Jeppe Street.

According to residents, pipe bursts have become routine due to ageing infrastructure and lack of decisive action from the metro.

JP Ronquest, a resident livion Julius Jeppe Street, said that while the latest pipe burst was fixed recently, the broader issue remained unresolved.

“We had another pipe burst, but it was fixed,” Ronquest said.

“A week doesn’t go by without a burst pipe on Julius Jeppe Street. We haven’t heard anything from the metro about replacing the asbestos pipes.”

Frustration in the community has been mounting, with residents losing faith in the metro’s leadership.

Ronquest did not hold back his criticism of the executive mayor.

“We are led by a mayor who is useless and clueless.

“This is the same mayor who once said there are only five potholes in the whole metro. In my street alone, there are more than five.”

Ronquest also pointed to infrastructure damage left unattended.

“The sidewalks were left excavated, and we are still waiting for another company to come and fix them,” he said.

Ian Fuller, another resident, said while the metro did respond to the most recent burst, they failed to restore the sidewalk or properly address the damage left behind.

“The metro did come and patch the pipe,” Fuller said.

“However, they left the sidewalks damaged and haven’t come back. Our properties are deteriorating because of this.”

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed the repair work on the burst pipe was concluded on May 13, and water supply was restored that same day.

“However, later that night, the saddle on the main pipeline supplying water to 457 Julius Jeppe Street burst again.”

He said the issue was reported by the ward councillor, and the maintenance team returned the following morning to fix it.

Mashigo confirmed the problem stemmed from an ageing asbestos water pipe network.

“The cause of the burst is an old asbestos pipe which has long surpassed its lifespan and has been escalated to the city’s water and sanitation department for replacement,” Mashigo said.

He said the pipe burst was reported to the depot at 17:14 on May 12 and was repaired within the city’s 48-hour service standard.

Mashigo added that communication about the incident and water supply updates was shared with the ward councillor via the councillors’ WhatsApp group.

“There was no need for water tankers because the team repaired the pipe by 14:30 on May 13,” he added.

Mashigo said the existing water pipelines in Waterkloof have been escalated for renewal.

He added that the metro attends to pipe bursts as they happen to minimise the impact on residents.

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