Burst water pipe causes damage

RESIDENTS in Gordon Court flats in Delmas Street, South Hills are frustrated as their belongings are being damaged by leaking water from a burst water pipe.

This started in December 2015 and when they went to the Housing Department office to report it, the offices were closed. Michelle Kruger said tiles are coming off the wall. “Our furniture and appliances are damaged. Who will be held liable for this?” she said.

Belinda Matthews, who lives in a flat below Michelle, said that the smell of mould is unbearable. “I cannot use my main bedroom as the bed and clothes are drenched, I now sleep with my children in a single bed,” she explained.

Belinda said that people from the Housing Department came to the property twice on Tuesday, January 19, for quotations. “We hope for the best,” she said.

Ward 57 Clr Faeeza Chame said the office has all the information about the leakage. “I am sitting with a challenge regarding the council units in South Hills and the Moffatview area. “Most of these units have leaking ceilings, broken taps or leaking geysers and in some cases no geysers at all. With government, there is a procedure to follow when reporting the repairs that have to be done. The area manager sends all cases to the Housing Department, and then the department creates worksheets and sends out the plumbers or maintenance guys. In most cases we get told that government has no budget or the tenants do not pay rent.

“I can relate to the residents’ frustrations regarding the conditions of the council units. Two years ago when they supposedly refurbished the units, why did they not start inside the units first then do all the painting outside?” said Clr Chame.

She also said that no one should live in such conditions. With the rainy days she noted that residents are complaining about the smell of the dampness in the council units. “I am pleading with government to start maintaining their council stock. There is a saying that goes like this: If you don’t wet your flowers, they will die. If you don’t maintain your units, they become dilapidated,” remarked Clr Chame.

The COURIER is awaiting a reply from the Housing Department.

Also Read:

Burst water pipe in South Hills

South Hills water pipes burst frequently