Mayor orders action on Vanderbijlpark leaks damaging roads

Emfuleni Local Municipality Executive Mayor Hassan Mako has called on municipal water teams to urgently address long-standing leaks after an inspection revealed that leaking potable water is contributing to road and stormwater damage in parts of Vanderbijlpark.

Mako conducted a site inspection of the stormwater catchment system in Sullivan Street after concerns were raised by residents about water flowing in the area.

Roads and Stormwater Department Manager Thabiso Masikela told the mayor that a section of the stormwater line running from a catchpit in Sullivan Street to the concrete canal had collapsed.

He said the water visible in Sullivan Street is believed to originate from a leaking pipe at the corner of Offenbach and Mendelssohn Streets. The water reportedly enters a nearby catchpit before emerging in Sullivan Street.

Following the inspection, Mako reported the potable water leak to Metsi-a-Lekoa and called for urgent intervention to reduce water losses in SW5.

Repairing the leak is also expected to allow the Roads and Stormwater Department to attend to potholes worsened by the continuous water flow, particularly around the traffic circle in Chopin Street.

“Metsi-a-Lekoa teams must start to prioritise and attend to long-standing water leaks. Persistent leaks do far more than waste a precious resource, they inflate non-revenue water figures, strain our already limited municipal budget, and quietly destroy the very road infrastructure residents rely on every day,” Mako said.

He warned that water escaping from damaged pipes can seep into stormwater systems and road foundations, accelerating the deterioration of road surfaces.

“The damage visible at the traffic circle in Chopin Street and along Sullivan Street is a direct consequence of delayed intervention,” he added.

Mako also stressed the importance of cooperation between municipal departments, saying water, roads and stormwater problems often overlap and require coordinated responses.

He said once Metsi-a-Lekoa stops the leak, Roads and Stormwater teams will be able to repair the potholes and replace the collapsed section of stormwater infrastructure without flowing water interfering with the work.

“When teams communicate early, share information, and sequence their interventions properly, consumer complaints are resolved faster, public trust is strengthened, and limited resources are used more efficiently,” Mako said.

The municipality acknowledged that residents may experience temporary inconvenience while repairs are carried out, but said addressing the underlying leak is essential to providing a lasting solution.

The municipality says tackling persistent water leaks remains important in reducing non-revenue water, protecting road infrastructure and improving service delivery across Emfuleni.