By Asemahle Vumsindo
Makana Municipality has reported improvements in the repair of water leaks across town, according to discussions at Monday’s infrastructure portfolio meeting. Residents have noticed a steady uptick in leak repairs, including some that had been reported for years.
Chris Qwane, the current water manager, has prioritised addressing water leaks and stabilising the bulk water supply. He said that freeing up resources from water leak repairs will now allow the municipality to focus more on the backlog of sewage issues.
Makana’s sewage system has long been neglected, plagued by tree roots and debris. To tackle this, the municipality has procured 250 steel rods to unblock sewage lines and continues to hire a hydro-blast machine at R8 000 per day, sometimes using it for up to 10 days at a time. More severe blockages require heavy machinery and digging teams.
Water supply has improved in most areas on the western side of town. A repaired pump is expected at James Kleynhans in mid-November, which will boost supply to the eastern side and areas such as Kings Heights. Some western areas still experience outages due to issues with smart meters or improper reconnections by IMVU, which replaced old asbestos pipes. Chronic outages in Kings Heights are also linked to Tantyi Reservoir, which rarely fills because of a faulty overflow valve. The municipality’s agenda included plans to replace the valve.
Meanwhile, the roads department continues to struggle. Workers have been reportedly idling for over a year due to delays in receiving protective clothing. Portfolio Chairperson Rami Xonxa criticised the manager of roads for failing to address the situation. Tarring work seen around town has largely been carried out by the SEF team, and private contractors, as municipal tender and supply processes remain delayed.
