Johannesburg Water denies ownership of Oxford Road excavation site

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09-04-2026
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Sandton Chronicle
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After months of concern over an unrepaired road excavation, the utility says the installation is not part of its network, raising questions of accountability and ownership.

Residents in Illovo have welcomed the recent repair of a long-standing road excavation on Oxford Road, but uncertainty remains after Johannesburg Water stated that the infrastructure in question does not belong to the utility.

The excavation site, located opposite the busy commercial area near Illovo Junction and near the entrance to Earlridge Flats, had remained partially open since October 2025. For months, the damaged section of road was marked by broken tar, loose rubble, and exposed infrastructure, posing a potential safety risk to motorists and pedestrians. Temporary barriers were placed around the area, but residents said the measures were insufficient and that the site appeared abandoned.

“It has been like this since last year,” said resident Nolwazi Ndaba. “Nothing was happening. It was dangerous for cars and for people walking past. It also did not look good for our neighbourhood.”

The site has since been reinstated. However, residents say the completion of repairs does not fully address concerns about communication and responsibility. In response to media queries, Johannesburg Water confirmed that it has no record of a major pipe burst at the location, and that the excavation was not related to its infrastructure. “Johannesburg Water would like to confirm that there is no record of a major pipe burst having been attended to at that location. Our records indicate that the only work carried out at this location relates to a meter-related job. Furthermore, based on site verification, it has been established that the excavation in question is associated with a fire installation and does not form part of Johannesburg Water’s infrastructure,” said spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala. “Due to the absence of a reference number in this instance, the team was required to manually interrogate the system to determine what was recorded at the time.”

Further questions were sent to Johannesburg Water seeking clarity on the discrepancy between the utility’s response and observations at the site. We asked if there was no record of a pipe burst at the location, and the excavation was not related to its infrastructure, why the site was secured using caution tape bearing the Johannesburg Water name. We also raised concerns that the address referenced in the utility’s response appears to be several steps away from the section of road that was recently, magically, reinstated.

In addition, we requested clarity on the requirement for a reference number in media inquiries. We noted that journalists are often alerted to infrastructure issues by motorists or pedestrians and some surrounding residents who notice what appears to be overdue or unattended work. In such cases, members of the public typically do not have access to reference numbers, and the purpose of the inquiry is to establish responsibility and obtain accurate information for the community.

We will update once Johannesburg Water replies to our questions.