The Vischkuil CPF has raised concerns about public safety after a damaged road and burst water pipeline allegedly restricted access to a house fire on First Avenue on Sunday evening.

The incident comes just days after water was restored to the community following a prolonged outage that left residents without running water for nearly two weeks.

According to CPF chairperson Andre Strauss, the pipeline was damaged on July 11 when a contractor appointed by Lesedi Local Municipality allegedly struck the municipal water main while excavating the road.

Strauss said residents began reporting a loss of water shortly before 10:00, with acting councillor Simon Mnyakeni informing the community that a pipe had burst and that municipal plumbers had been notified.

Strauss alleged that the damaged pipeline was not repaired on Saturday, leaving treated drinking water flowing from the burst pipe.

“The constant flow of water had further damaged the excavated road. In some areas, the water had pooled deeply while in other areas it continued flowing across the road, washing away the surface,” Strauss said.

According to Strauss, the situation became more serious on Sunday evening when a house caught fire on First Avenue.

“The road had been left completely inaccessible. CPF members and community volunteers had to drive through the veld to reach the blaze. When the fire engine arrived, it could not get close enough to the property because the road had been left inaccessible.

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“Every minute counts during a fire. Access for emergency services should never be compromised because a construction site has been left in an unsafe condition,” Strauss said.

The fire broke out at the home of Heinrich Rautenbach.

He said, “We didn’t lose all that much, but the house has sustained over R200,000 worth of damage. The piping for our borehole still hasn’t been laid – it was a total mess, and we had to make a plan for water yesterday.

“But I am grateful to everyone who came to help. If we had waited for the fire brigade, the entire house would have burned down.”

Speaking to the Springs Advertiser, Mnyakeni confirmed that contractors are currently carrying out road construction on First Avenue and that repairs to the damaged water pipeline were underway on Monday.

He added that only a section of the area was affected by the water interruption. Strauss said the incident highlights broader concerns about planning and accountability during municipal infrastructure projects.

“This is not simply about a burst pipe. It is about what happens when planning, supervision and accountability fail.

“The people of Ward 12 deserve reliable water, roads that emergency vehicles can use and infrastructure that is properly managed,” he said.

This publication sent an enquiry to Lesedi Local Municipality, which had no response by the time of publication.