A pipe burst in Imizamo Yethu on Thursday has sent the community into a frenzy after it caused extensive flooding there.

“I am watching all my things wash away, destroyed, and there is very little we can do about it,” said resident Adamu Litho.

Mr Litho first started noticing the water trickling down the road before a gush of water forced its way through the settlement’s narrow alleys.

“There are always pipe bursts here, and we are all assuming it’s maybe on the road. We were not prepared for what came next,” said Mr Litho, as he helped others to divert water from their homes.

Luthando Ndube was in tears after school uniforms, shoes, bags, books and stationery she had only just recently bought for her children for the new school year were all swept away in the deluge.

“I worked nearly the whole year to have enough to get their things, and a few days into their schooling, it’s gone. The money we can always make back again, but that effort is just gone to waste.

“I saw my daughter still picking up some of the pencils and crayons that washed down the road. Another setback and the worst start to 2025 for us,” Ms Ndube said.

This is just the latest in a string of pipe bursts to have plagued Hout Bay in recent years (“More water pipe bursts in Hout Bay,” Sentinel News, April 19, 2024).

Last year, the City launched the second phase of a R7 million project to replace 3.3km of water pipes there (“City replacing ageing water pipes,” Sentinel News, March 22, 2024).

The City said the flooding in Imizamo Yethu and the Hout Bay cemetery was the result of a large water pipe burst above the reservoir late on Thursday afternoon.

“The inlets and outlets to the reservoir have since been closed by water and sanitation first-line responders. Despite this, the water is still flooding in great volume down into Imizamo Yethu, and the burst has been identified being on the main pipe track above the reservoir,” said ward councillor Roberto Quintas.

The City’s repair team were on site shutting the feed to Hout Bay along the 600mm pipeline from Constantia.

Disaster Risk Management has been helping with mop-up operations and relief efforts.

“We are concerned for residents who have homes flooded currently, but can assure them that the City’s response, which will include our local NGOs, will be finalised as soon as the flooding is mitigated,” Mr Quintas said.

“We do ask that residents please allow our responders to do their work without intimidation or threats of violence.”

Thula Thula Hout Bay, which is collecting non-perishable foods, toiletries and baby-care products, has called on the community to support relief efforts.

"The flood has impacted hundreds of homes in the Imizamo Yethu community due to a major water pipe burst near the water reservoir above the area,“ a member of the organisation said on site. “The flooding caused significant damage to homes, leaving many families in urgent need of basic necessities.”

A screen grab of a resident trying to redirect the water from their home. Picture: Facebook

The pipe believed to have caused the flooding. Picture: Facebook