The City of Cape Town does not have an accurate record of its infrastructure units in its asset register.

Civil engineer and municipal infrastructure expert Gundo Maswime says that this is causing the delays in repairing a burst water pipe in Schaapkraal. The incident was first picked up on Sunday morning, and the repairs are affecting residents in Lansdowne, Grassy Park and Strandfontein amongst others.

“Engineers have to shut down the water supply to find the leaks and conduct repairs. But because the City does not have accurate records of where the pipes are, they’re struggling to address the problem. A pipe repair in Constantia gets dealt with quickly, which shows that infrastructure records for affluent areas are more accurate,” says Maswime.

The Cape Flats communities could face water infrastructure problems along the line. New developments could also be at risk as engineers still need to determine where these water pipes are linked.