The Tshwane metro said maintenance backlogs and ageing infrastructure are slowing its response to water leaks, following complaints from residents in Faerie Glen who waited more than a month for pipe repairs and backfilling of a dangerous trench on Erie Street.

Ward 44 councillor Samantha de la Rey said the situation highlights ongoing service delivery failures in the area.
The water leak was first reported on December 28, 2025, between two properties on Erie Street.

According to De la Rey, the leak remained unrepaired for weeks despite repeated escalations.

She said the delay exceeded the metro’s standard operating procedure, which requires water leaks to be repaired within nine working days.

“The repair process was further complicated when municipal teams identified a large tree near the leak that had to be removed before excavation work could begin. The tree was only removed several days later, extending repair timelines,” she said.

She added that during the removal process, electrical infrastructure was damaged, leaving residents without electricity for several days. De la Rey said the leak resurfaced just a day after repairs were completed.

Although the new leak was repaired on February 12, she said the city failed to complete backfilling, street cleaning and the removal of the tree stump left in the roadway.

“Thirty-seven days for one water leak in a city that is losing about 40% of its water is completely unacceptable,” she said.

“The city is quick to disconnect residents’ services for non-payment but drags its feet when delivering basic services.”

She further criticised the current coalition administration, saying residents are paying the price for poor accountability and slow service delivery.

De la Rey said the incident reflects service delivery challenges affecting several communities across Pretoria.

She called for improved co-ordination between municipal departments and faster response times to prevent recurring infrastructure failures and prolonged disruptions for residents.

“This is not the first time Erie Street has been left in a disaster zone. Residents are not asking for miracles. They are asking for the basics: fix the leak, close the hole and clean the street,” said De la Rey.

Resident Eduard Siemens said Erie Street has experienced several pipe bursts over the past year, raising concerns about the condition of the infrastructure.

“Our street has had multiple main water pipe bursts in the last year. It seems the pipe is weak and failing. Instead of replacing it, repairs are done piece by piece, which causes repeated disruptions,” said Siemens.

Siemens said residents were forced to repeatedly follow up with the city to ensure repairs were completed.

He added that there appeared to be poor communication between municipal departments involved in the repair process.

“Though the leak was fully resolved only on February 12, more than a month after it was first reported, it shows serious service delivery challenges in the city.”

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the city is facing a backlog of water leak repairs, which is affecting maintenance teams’ turnaround times.

Bokaba explained that once a leak is repaired, a job card is created for backfilling, which has a turnaround time of 14 days.

He said another job card is then created for road repairs, which also has a 14-day turnaround period.

“The city currently has a backlog of open trenches, which is affecting rehabilitation and road restoration work,” he said.

Bokaba confirmed that backfilling and site clearing on Erie Street had been completed and that the remaining tree stump would be removed by the regional urban management team.

He also confirmed that damaged electrical cables caused during tree removal had been repaired.

He added that the city continues to prioritise pipe bursts with high water losses and is conducting operations to remove illegal water connections.

Also read: Metro leak angers residents amid water throttling

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