Residents and visitors have raised concern over a persistent water leak at the Leighandre ‘Baby Lee’ Jegels Recreational Park, warning that it is damaging the multimillion-rand facility.
The leak, which residents say has been ongoing for some time, has led to stagnant water pooling in parts of the park.
This has resulted in green algae forming on sections of the infrastructure.
Regular users say the situation is worsening and could pose health risks, particularly to children who frequent the park.
The R87m facility, commonly referred to as The Stoep, officially opened in November 2023, and has reportedly had the latest leak for nearly two weeks.
Ward councillor Funeka Wolose said the issue had persisted for more than a year, with repeated temporary fixes failing to resolve the problem.
“They always come and attend to the leakage, and it happens again,” Wolose said.
“The municipality needs to dig deep until they reach the actual pipes that are always leaking.
“There is no point in always doing a temporary job.”
She said the matter had been raised through the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process in the hope of securing a permanent solution.
DA councillor Sue Bentley said while routine cleaning at the park was visible, broader maintenance issues were being neglected.
“BCM is certainly not adequately maintaining the park in terms of the bigger things. One sees cleaners and sweepers in the mornings, but the leaks and resultant slime, dead palm trees and brick paving that is not reinstated are all part of maintenance too,” Bentley said.
She said delays in addressing water leaks was a major concern.
“The fact that water leaks can go days without being resolved is a big problem,” she said.
Bentley said responsibility could not rest solely on municipal officials if resources were limited, noting that water leaks fell under the metro’s water department.
She pointed to wider infrastructure challenges, including ageing pipes and the theft of water meters, which had placed additional strain on the system.
“With water bursts occurring daily and only one working water department vehicle currently servicing the coastal area, BCMM has to prioritise major water losses before attending to slower leaks,” she said.
However, the park should not be overlooked.
“I do think that Baby Lee Jegels [park] needs to be prioritised in terms of maintenance issues because we have spent over R100m there and it is supposedly one of our flagship tourism offerings,” Bentley said.
Residents said they hoped urgent intervention would prevent further damage and restore the park to a safe and welcoming environment.
On Tuesday morning, a team was seen working on the leak, which was still trickling through parts of the park.
Buffalo City Metro had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.