Residents in parts of Chatsworth, Crossmoor, Shallcross and surrounding areas are calling for urgent action over what they describe as delays in repairing burst and leaking municipal water pipes.
Community activist Derrick Govender said some leaks had been reported repeatedly but remained unresolved for extended periods, resulting in water wastage, damaged roads and worsening potholes.
Govender said the problem was particularly concerning on busy roads used by buses, trucks and other vehicles. He said some roads had deteriorated so badly that residents had resorted to placing objects over leaks to prevent water from continuously gushing onto the road.
He also raised concerns about the amount of treated water being lost.
“The municipality wants residents to use water sparingly, when they end up not playing their part,” Govender said.
Shallcross resident Reggie Moonsamy said he was equally frustrated by the ongoing problems, claiming that some leaks had been attended to only to worsen again.
Moonsamy said he had experienced similar issues several times over the past year.
“It is a waste of water. Sometimes we don’t have water, but water is being wasted,” he said.
He also questioned the manner in which some repairs were being carried out, asking why longer sections of pipe could not be installed instead of repeatedly replacing smaller sections.
“It is not fair because we pay for the water,” Moonsamy said.
Ward 63 councillor Chris van den Berg said the water situation across the city was “beyond critical”, with his ward also affected.
“The shortage of plumbers has caused a massive backlog, damage to private property and council property as well, costing the ratepayers massive amounts of money,” van den Berg said.
While he said there were signs that plumbers were slowly returning, van den Berg warned that it would take considerable time to address the outstanding work.
“The city has failed its residents,” he said.
Several water-related complaints have been logged in the affected communities in recent months, including reports of burst and leaking pipes.
Residents say the problem goes beyond inconvenience, with leaking water contributing to road damage and potentially causing further deterioration of municipal infrastructure.
They are calling on eThekwini Municipality to prioritise outstanding repairs, reduce water wastage and ensure that reported leaks are properly repaired.
Residents also say they should not have to repeatedly report the same problems while water continues to run into the streets.
When approached for comment on the complaints, eThekwini Municipality said it was still gathering information from the relevant department.
“The City is still in the process of collating the necessary information from the relevant department. The matter is receiving attention, and a comprehensive response will be provided as soon as the information becomes available. We appreciate your understanding and will keep you updated,” said Rhulani Baloyi, Acting Media Relations Officer in the eThekwini Municipality Marketing and Communications Directorate.
