Water meter theft spirals in Ward 98

Residents across Ward 98 in the Tshwane metro have reached the end of their tether as the daily theft of brass water meters continues unchecked, leaving residents without water for days or weeks.

Despite repeated complaints and urgent appeals to the metro, residents say that the local government’s response has been slow and ineffective.

From Clarina and Heatherdale to Dorandia, Theresapark, and Klerksoord, it has been reported that water meters are stolen at a rate of up to four daily.

These thefts not only disrupt the water supply but also result in thousands of litres of clean water being lost as broken pipes gush into streets and drains.

The community is now in an uproar, accusing Tshwane of turning a blind eye to a crisis that is both man-made and preventable.

“This is no longer just poor service delivery, it’s deliberate neglect.

“We are witnessing the collapse of municipal oversight and enforcement, while residents suffer, pay inflated water bills, and live without the most basic necessity, water,” said ward councillor Dana Wannenburg.

In Winternest, a father of three, Mpho Masemola, said his family had not had water for nine days, despite multiple reports to the metro and promises that technicians were on their way.

“We have been logging calls, sending emails, and still nothing gets done.

“They come three to five days later, patch it temporarily, and leave us vulnerable again. The syndicates just come back the next night,” said Masemola.

He said they have resorted to using temporary direct pipe connections, which are unofficial and unsafe because no permanent solution is offered.

“We fear being penalised for illegal connections despite the fact that the municipality has left us with no choice. We are being criminalised for trying to survive.

“Every night we sleep with one ear open, afraid the thieves will come for our meter next.”

Another Winternest resident, Kagiso Moremi, whose meter was stolen in March, told Rekord that it took nearly a month for any action to be taken.

“We pay our taxes. We follow the rules. Why is no one protecting us?

“Water ran for a week, and my bill went up for one month. Why should we pay for water that was wasted due to slow response from the metro?”

Wannenburg said the crisis is no longer just a technical issue, but a failure of will and accountability.

“The metro has been aware of these thefts for months. We have reported them, warned them, begged them, and still, nothing meaningful has been done.

“Where is the leadership? Where is the enforcement? Why are residents footing the bill for the metro’s incompetence?” he asked.

Wannenburg said he formally raised the matter with several senior officials, including Regional Director Nomsa Mabasa for Region 1, MMC Aaron Maluleka, MMC Eugene Modise, MMC Hannes Coetzee, the City Manager Johann Mettler and TMPD Region 1.

He is calling for the immediate implementation of a multi-pronged response strategy.

Masemola also called for the installation of tamper-proof, non-metallic water meters that hold no scrap value and are harder to steal.

“We want dedicated TMPD patrols in hotspot areas to deter meter theft syndicates, the establishment of a regional anti-theft task team with a mandate to track, report, and respond to incidents swiftly.

“The metro must also form an investigation into scrap metal dealers suspected of buying stolen meters because there are many scrap yards in Winternest. We don’t know what is going on inside those scrap yards.”
Wannenburg has encouraged residents to document all incidents carefully.

“Take dated photos of damaged meters and water leaks, keep a log of all communication with metro officials, and ensure all reports have reference numbers to challenge unfair billing.

“Residents should not have to defend themselves against a government that has abandoned them,” he said.

The Tshwane metro was contacted for comment, but had not responded by the time of publication.

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