For the past three weeks, clean water has been gushing out of a water metre and standpipe on R Alexander Road, the main street of Area 11 in Gunguluza, Uitenhage.
While the city is battling with low dams and an ongoing water crisis, residents said the leaks were a big concern.
Because there is an ongoing formalisation of 156 informal settlements in the city, residents said they assumed that drivers of municipal vehicles travelling past this leak would attend or report it to their relevant colleagues.
Instead, it has been leaking endlessly and water flowing down R Alexander Road like a river. Resident Siyabonga Stemele is the chairperson of the Development Committee in Phase Two, where the endless leak was oozing.
He told JHR, “This is uncalled for, as its been three weeks that clean water has been wasted and unattended. They say we must always use water sparingly, yet they drive past the gush.
“This leak is attracting dogs, herds of cows, pigs and mice that drink from the same tap we depend on.
“The municipality must practice what they preach and save water themselves,” he said.
Another resident, Siya Swartbooi, told JHR he doesn’t understand why should the main street be disgraceful.
“Over the past weekend there has been no water in our Phase One, yet Phase Two tap is oozing clean water.
“We support the municipality’s initiatives of saving water, yet when we report water wastage they don’t sping in action and fix.
“Our municipality is always telling us about looming Day Zero, and if it finally arrives, it is their fault. They need to employ more plumbers in the city to avoid water from flowing down our streets unattended. We want to be served, not my lips, but by real service.” he said.
Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Nqaba Bhanga told JHR that the leak would be fixed, and it was, after an engagement with him.
“Water leaks left unattended defeat our efforts of improving our water consumption and the water-saving awareness we are busy with. A team will attend to on an urgent basis,” he said, and the leak was repaired.
By Thamsanqa Mbovane
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