The owner of a house on Tasmania Street is frustrated and disappointed with how workers from Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) handled a water leak and burst pipe.

Josias Deminey said he had reported the leak and burst to the GMM for years, but it had ignored the problem. When GMM workers eventually went to fix it, they destroyed the pavement in front of the house, leaving it unrepaired.

“They failed to fix the leak, so the constant water flow created a health and safety hazard and damaged my property, specifically the pavement, the driveway and the garage,” said Deminey.

“I am facing the consequences of a problem the GMM should have immediately addressed. I want to know why it let this issue continue for so long, and what steps there are to repair this water damage and to prevent further damage.”

GMM spokesperson Donald Green failed to answer questions sent by the Ridge Times and instead said the complaint had been given to their team to attend to.

He urged residents to use the call centre so complaints can be traced.

“The centre deals with general enquiries and complaints after hours, on public holidays and weekends. When calling, write down the name of the person you speak to, provide your street name and nearest house number, keep your description short and relevant, and get a reference number to ensure easy follow–up. The centre should SMS it to you if the system is working, or give you a number over the phone.

“The relevant department is then immediately informed. If nothing has been done, contact your ward councillor with the details and reference number to ensure the issue gets attention,” he said.

Call the GMM centre numbers on 0800 6000 01/2/4 or send a WhatsApp message to 083 790 0659.