Rand Water
By Steve Matthews
Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo confirmed today, 05 July 2025, that vandalism led to a serious failure on the C11 pipeline, triggering a dramatic water upsurge near the Mall of the South.
Following maintenance at the Zwartkopjes Booster Pumping Station between 30 June and 02 July 2025, Rand Water began recharging the C11 pipeline. During this process, two pipe bursts occurred between Zwartkopjes Farm and the Mall of the South. It was soon discovered that air valves at these points had been vandalised while the pipeline was offline. Once water pressure was restored, the compromised valves were blown off, causing a water burst visible from kilometres away. The air valves were subsequently repaired, and the pipeline was recommissioned in the early hours of Saturday, 05 July 2025. The Forest Hill system, which draws from this pipeline, has been in recovery since pumps were fully reactivated this morning.
The affected pipeline section crosses informal settlements, areas where Rand Water infrastructure has repeatedly been attacked. Communities are being urged not to tamper with pressurised pipelines due to extreme safety risks, including fatalities.
This incident raises alarms amid a troubling pattern of infrastructure damage in the region. Just days earlier, local residents reported a “major pipe burst” near Forest Hill, with Rand Water teams working on the affected line . Social media platforms also captured the intensity of the C11 valve failures, with one post detailing that valves “blew off” during the recharge ().
The timeline of events highlights a critical vulnerability: the maintenance window between 30 June and 02 July provided an opportunity for vandals, and the issue only became immediately visible during system recharging. As Maroo explained, “the internal pressure during recharging” caused the compromised valves to give way, underscoring how rapidly infrastructure can fail once pressure is reinstated.
Restoring the C11 pipeline and Forest Hill system to full capacity is now top priority. Residents may still notice reduced water pressure as pump rates are gradually ramped up to normal. Rand Water teams remain mobilised in the area to ensure smooth recovery.
This occurrence further underscores growing concerns over repeated sabotage in vulnerable areas. Last year, similar incidents in settlements like Phomolong prompted joint operations with emergency services and local police to counter theft and sabotage of Rand Water infrastructure.
With scheduled maintenance continuing across Johannesburg’s booster stations and pipelines through mid-July, ahead of the busy winter season, Rand Water faces mounting pressures on infrastructure security and reliability.
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