After years of burst pipes and persistent water supply interruptions, Newcastle Municipality is directing more than R48 million towards improving water provision in Aviary Hill, Schuinshoogte, Hutten Heights, Signal Hill, Pioneer Park and Amiel Park.
For residents who have endured repeated outages, the investment marks a long-awaited intervention in a water network that has struggled to deliver consistent service.
Against this backdrop, Newcastle Local Municipality has launched Phase 1 of the Asbestos Cement (AC) Pipe Replacement and Retrofitting Project, signalling the start of a multi-million rand effort to stabilise water supply in Wards 2 and 4.
Beyond the announcement itself, the project also brings renewed attention to longstanding delays, particularly outstanding work left incomplete by a previous contractor, which now forms part of the current scope.
The sod-turning ceremony, attended by municipal officials alongside representatives from DLV Projects Managers and Engineers and Kunjalo Kunje Trading CC, served as more than a symbolic start.
It marked the transition from planning to implementation, with the Municipality stating that the project forms part of efforts to remove ageing asbestos infrastructure from the local water network.
“Phase 1 of the project will replace aging asbestos cement pipes with modern UPVC pipelines and install Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) to stabilise water pressure, reduce bursts, and safeguard public health. The scope includes the completion of all outstanding work from the previous contractor in Wards 2 and 4,” said the Municipality’s Communication Unit.
The Municipality further explained that the project is funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), with DLV Projects Managers and Engineers appointed as the consulting engineers and Kunjalo Kunje Trading CC appointed as the contractor.
Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker of Council, Councillor Thengi Zulu, said:
“Today we are not just turning soil. We are turning the tide on decades of water insecurity. This multi-million project is about dignity. No resident should drink water through pipes that put their health at risk. As a Council, we are committed to finishing what was started and delivering a water system our people can trust.”
As reported by Newcastillian News on 11 June 2026, in its coverage of the Northern KwaZulu-Natal Blue Drop findings, Newcastle’s water infrastructure has remained under sustained pressure due to ageing pipeline networks and recurring system failures, particularly in areas still reliant on asbestos cement infrastructure.
The findings pointed to ongoing strain across multiple wards, where service reliability continues to be affected by legacy infrastructure constraints.
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Within this broader context, the R48 million Phase 1 AC Pipe Replacement and Retrofitting Project is being positioned as part of an ongoing infrastructure response rather than a standalone intervention.
Its long-term value will depend on whether implementation results in measurable improvements for communities that have repeatedly experienced disruptions linked to deteriorating infrastructure.
The rollout now moves from announcement to execution, where progress will be measured on the ground rather than through official statements. As construction proceeds, attention will turn to the pace of delivery, communication with affected communities, and the practical management of disruptions linked to the works.
What remains central is whether the project produces a noticeable improvement in everyday water reliability for residents, particularly in areas where infrastructure strain has been most consistently felt over time.
In that regard, the coming months will play a defining role in how the project is ultimately assessed beyond its commencement phase.
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One Response
Kunjalo Kunje Trading, is the same contractor, that was announced to fix Ncandu Park Phase 2, after Phase 1’s contractor left Pipes and workers without attendance and fled the site…They took over and had to replace Pipelines of the whole of Amajuba Park too and were supposed to finish in a year, yet through continuous community complaints, changing of Site Managers, ill-treatment and total disregard of CLO’s, on top of underpaid labourers from within Ward 5, and Ncandu Park(now falling under Ward 34) they had burst-pipes, flooding the streets and eroding pavements and roads, street lights(with some streets remaining dark till today), demolished drains and street names, as well as numerous unfruitful meetings with the Ward committees and Ward Councillor! They could not even award certificates to the managing employees, pipelayers and operators as a company nor as the Municipality, yet the very same Company has been awarded a water infrastructure tender?
The mess that was left in the above-mentioned suburbs is evidence enough, with residents from Amajuba Park reporting damages to the Municipality till today! How can a contractor with a record such as that be set to operate at another site? Newcastlians stand your ground, these suburbs were built by the best and should be maintained by such, otherwise sustainability will not be achieved.