Residents at the corner of De Boulevard and Moreleta Street in Silverton fear a sinkhole could form after an underground water leak, first reported in 2023, has again resurfaced.
Silverton community activist Marietjie van Deventer said the metro repeatedly carried out surface repairs without addressing the underground cause.
“Potholes formed and a heap of tar is always dumped inside the hole each and every time we report the issue,” she said.
Van Deventer said residents reported the leak in 2023, 2024, 2025 and again in 2026.
“Since 2023 we have been fighting a losing battle just to get proper service delivery, but we pay our rates and taxes each month,” she said.
She said the water leak worsened because the source of the problem was never permanently fixed.
“The city came back again and simply placed another layer of tar over what appears to be an underground leak. Just imagine how much water must be flowing beneath the intersection for it to push through the tar and cause visible damage.”
She criticised the city’s approach to infrastructure maintenance, adding that service delivery and the neglect of damaged infrastructure do not appear to be a priority for management.
Metro investigates recurring leak
Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said a team will be dispatched to investigate if there is a recurring leak at the intersection and will excavate and repair if necessary.
Mashigo said municipal records show the leak was repaired on August 18, but a new complaint received on September 9 was finalised on September 11.
“However, a technical team will be dispatched to double-check if there isn’t a new leak in the vicinity of the intersection,” Mashigo said.
Mashigo denied claims that the city has ignored residents since 2023.
“It is not true to insinuate that the matter has remained unresolved since 2023. The city attends to service requests as and when they are reported,” he said.
Mashigo said the city is unaware of any tar patching conducted while underground infrastructure was leaking.
He said the city cannot estimate water losses as most faults stem from ageing infrastructure, but strives to attend to all reported leaks.
Mashigo said municipal engineers assessed the site and found the risk of a sinkhole developing is minimal following site rehabilitation.
He said the leak did not damage underground infrastructure.
“Once a leak is repaired, the site is rehabilitated according to the approved standards and the road surface is tarred,” Mashigo said.
He acknowledged officials will conduct a follow-up inspection after reports that the leak reappeared.
Mashigo said the leak originated from a damaged 90mm steel water pipe.
He said the metro prioritises service delivery and will continue to work to provide services for all residents.
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