After the residents were moved from the collapsed areas, the City’s appointed emergency contractor moved on site at the two major collapse points in Khayelitsha’s SST section and Makhaza, where preparatory work is under way ahead of the two-point repairs to the 700mm bulk sewer line.

This includes installing a complex 400mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) aboveground sewer bypass spanning about 2 000m (2km). The purpose of this bypass is to keep wastewater flowing while the collapsed section is repaired, ensuring that sewer services can continue during construction on the bulk sewer line.

Update on work:

Makhaza (Umrhabulo Triangle)

• Over-pumping measures have been successfully put in place to bypass the collapse and manage sewage flow, reducing the risk of overflows.
• The contractor is on site and preparing for excavation work. The collapsed section has been isolated, and over-pumping is operational. Dewatering well points are currently being installed to remove groundwater that could compromise shoring and excavation work. This is critical for safe working conditions and to reduce construction risks.
• In the coming weeks, the contractor will install sheet piling and begin excavations to repair the collapsed sewer pipeline. If all goes as planned, work is expected to be completed by the end of March 2026.

SST section

• The directorate is currently finalising the appointment of a contractor to do this repair. If all goes according to plan, repairs are expected to begin by mid-March 2026.
• The contractor will establish an over-pumping system and carry out eight sewer repairs along the 700mm bulk sewer line. If all goes as planned, work is expected to be completed by mid-April 2026.

‘Work has now commenced at both sites, with teams working to complete the repairs as safely and efficiently as possible, so that dignity and decent living conditions can be restored for residents in the affected areas.

‘This collapse has once again highlighted just how interconnected our sewer network is, and how a problem in one area can have knock-on effects across several communities. It remains a shared responsibility between the City and residents to protect and maintain this critical infrastructure so that it can continue to serve communities reliably for years to come. We again urge residents not to build structures illegally over vital water and sewer infrastructure.

‘We appeal to the community for continued cooperation as this complex work continues,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
 
All sites where water and sanitation repairs and upgrades are conducted are active construction sites and are therefore off-limits to the public.