Multiple areas in northern Joburg affected by water outages with delays in pipe repair

702's Thabo Shole Mashao is joined by Nkosinathi Xaba, Johannesburg Water's regional manager for the Sandton area.

Residents of Joburg have had to get used to dealing with no water in their taps, as failing infrastructure leads to regular unplanned water outages.

On Monday morning, Johannesburg Water informed people who live in a range of suburbs in the north of the city that the corner of Winnie Mandela Drive and Argyle Avenue had turned into a construction site, and some lanes had been partially closed as their team tried to carry out the repair of a burst pipe.

'Water supply in the area remains isolated during this time to enable safe and effective repair work', it said.

By Tuesday afternoon, repairs were still ongoing with no estimated time of water restoration to affected areas.

Johannesburg Water's Nkosinathi Xaba gives the assurance that tankers and trucks are supplying these areas with water.

He says the burst pipe has now been located after breaking the surface concrete, but the following challenge has been to break the concrete underneath the leaking pipe.

"We had to make the necessary space because there is a stormwater channel next to the pipe, which is also concrete."

Nkosinathi Xaba, Regional Manager: Sandton region - Joburg Water

"The water made a cavity in the road, which is why we have closed some of the lanes... We are aiming to complete the repair later today or tonight, and then the team involved in the reinstatement would be able to come and do their work on Wednesday." 

Nkosinathi Xaba, Regional Manager: Sandton region - Joburg Water

Affected Areas:

• Parts of Sandown
• Morningside
• Benmore
• Strathavon
• Sandton CBD
• Hurlingham
• Hurlingham Manor
• Parkmore
• Kramerville
• Atholl
• Illovo
• Inanda
• Hyde Park
• Sandhurst

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview