Germiston residents are no longer surprised by power outages, as these seem to be a weekly, and in some areas of the city, daily occurrence.
However, residents of Elspark now face a new hurdle as the area is plagued by water supply interruptions sometimes lasting for days.
“This week alone our water has been off three times on June 7, 8 and 9,” said Gail Rushmer.
“Every day we either have a burst water pipe or are without electricity.”
Many residents in the area believe the metro’s lack of maintenance has caused the infrastructure to fail in the area.
“At this point in time we have been without a constant supply of water for three weeks, and it is soul destroying when you see the water from another burst pipe gushing down Kingfisher Avenue,” Nicci du Preez said.
Residents are also concerned about the implications these continued outages will have on the community’s hygiene.
“There are two schools affected in the area, as well as, many crèches.
“Local stores and fast food restaurants are also affected,” said du Preez.
André Beukes said: “There have only been two days since May 30 till now that we have had both water and electricity in our homes.
“I have had to start showering at work as I never know if we will have water or not.”
The GCN contacted the metro to get answers on this on-going issue.
Zweli Dlamini, a spokesman for the metro, responded stating aged asbestos cement water pipes were the cause of the on-going water interruptions.
“The pipes are bursting as they are subjected to extreme cold temperatures and varying soil conditions,” he said.
Continuous theft of electricity infrastructure has been cited as the main reason behind the area’s power outages.
“The metro will be spending money to replace the pipes while also investing in the electricity network in the area.
“The programme has already started and the situation should have normalised by the end of July at the latest,” Dlamini said.
“In the meantime water tankers are normally dispatched to public areas during these interruptions to ensure there is a provision of water supply.”
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