eMalahleni resident raises alarm over year-long clean water leak
A resident’s daily exercise route has exposed an underground leak on Steve Bantu Biko Street.
into a sewer on Steve Bantu Biko Street for more than a year.
André du Toit, who walks along the street every morning for exercise, said the underground leak began shortly after workers repaired a nearby water break.
“There was once a water break not far from the point where the clean water runs; after they fixed that water break, this started,” he said.
Du Toit said despite reporting the ongoing leak to Ward 33 councillor Kim Fourie several times, the problem remains unresolved.
“I have been reporting this situation and it’s for more than a year now, yet nothing has been done,” he said.
Unseen wastage
According to Du Toit, the leak is not easily visible because the water is running underground, which is why it has gone unnoticed for so long.
“I’ve been walking past here every day for my morning exercise, and I keep hearing the same sound of outpouring water. Just think how much water has been wasted so far,” he said.
“This is clean drinking water, which is a scarcity in eMalahleni,” he said.
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Location required for inspection
Fourie said she had been made aware of the leak but never received its exact location.
“The resident was not able to provide a precise location. On both occasions when I went to the general area to investigate, I could not find any visible leak,” she said.
“After seeing the video reported to Witbank News, it is clear that the leak would not have been detected without an exact location being provided so it could be reported to the relevant department for investigation.”
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— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) September 30, 2026
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