Zama-zamas break crucial pipeline

Illegal miners operating near Rest in Peace in Khutsong are damaging crucial water infrastructure, and the resulting leaks are now causing a significant sinkhole.
On Monday morning, zama-zamas were digging undisturbed in the veld near house No. 4246 in Rest in Peace.
Only a few metres away, they had dug a hole to get to the main water pipeline. Water had welled inside as they had broken the pipe.
A community leader from the area, Mr Chucku Kerileng, said there had been a much larger leak in the same area recently after the zamas broke the same pipe, just at another spot.
“I came to a funeral here, and the people told me the water had been leaking for months. I notified the municipality, and they came to fix it,” he says.
Unfortunately, the municipality failed to safeguard the pipes from illegal miners.
To make matters worse, a massive sinkhole appears to be forming at the site of the previous water leak.
“I am worried because this is the main bypass pipeline that supplies the whole of Khutsong’s water.
The municipality should do something about this urgently,” Kerileng noted.
Residents in the area also complain of other water leaks from stolen water meters, likely by the zama-zamas, and the municipality failing to replace them.
“We have raised our concerns about the zama-zamas with our ward councillor, but he said we should leave them because they were making money,” one said.
They are worried that sinkholes might soon swallow their houses because of the leaks.
The Herald took the issues to the municipality on Tuesday.
The municipal spokesperson did not reply to questions about the water leaks and which areas the damaged pipeline serves.
“The municipal public safety has weekly joint operation meetings with other stakeholders like the South African Police Services, Gauteng Traffic Department, and the Community Policing Forum (CPF). Forums like the CPF and community patrollers are in charge of protecting the municipal infrastructure. We advise the community to report any crime to the SAPS,” was the municipality’s only answer.