After months of complex construction work, including replacing a 45-metre section of collapsed pipeline eight metres below ground level, the City of Cape Town has completed the main repair works on the Makhaza bulk sewer in Khayelitsha at Umrhabulo Triangle. The project has now entered its final phase following a CCTV inspection of the repairs, showing positive preliminary results.
The scale and complexity of the project required considerable technical and financial resources, extensive excavation and careful planning to maintain wastewater services while repairs were underway.
For wastewater conveyance to continue throughout construction, the City installed a temporary bypass system consisting of almost two kilometres of aboveground pipeline, helping to minimise service disruptions and reduce the risk of sewer overflows.
As part of the final quality assurance process, City engineers performed a CCTV inspection of the repaired sewer line on Thursday, 18 June 2026 to assess the internal condition and confirm the structural integrity of the pipeline.
Preliminary findings from this inspection indicate that the project was successful, as the repaired section performed as expected. The footage will now be reviewed by specialists as part of the final verification process.
A few minor project works are being finalised, including bulk cleaning of the sewer line, removing the temporary bypass infrastructure and sheet piling; followed by site reinstatement in the coming weeks.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien recenty conducted an oversight visit, as maintaining essential sanitation infrastructure is fundamental to delivering reliable services to communities across Cape Town.
‘The completion of the bulk sewer repairs in Makhaza represents far more than an engineering achievement. It is about restoring dignity and delivering the reliable sanitation services that every family in Khayelitsha deserves.
‘I want to make a direct appeal to residents. The space cleared to carry out these repairs must not be reoccupied. The dangers that made this intervention necessary in the first place have not disappeared, and informal structures built on top of bulk sewer infrastructure place lives at risk while preventing the City from maintaining and accessing the line.
‘We ask residents to respect the cleared area and to recognise that protecting this infrastructure is what guarantees the continued services that the whole community depends on,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
