A burst pipe turned into a water collecting bonanza as residents scooped the precious liquid into bottles‚ buckets and cups in the southern suburbs of Cape Town.
Khaya Gasela Yozi posted photographs and video footage on Tuesday of the water spewing out of a crater next to a road in Rondebosch.
He criticised authorities for taking too long to respond to the massive leak which had apparently been gushing since the early hours of the morning.
A crew of city workers arrived to repair the leak before 9am.
Residents produced an assortment of bottles and buckets to collect the clean water – highlighting how water conscious many people have become as the city faces a water crisis and people respond by stocking up on bottled water.
In a second video‚ showing the leak being repaired‚ a person says: “This is clean water. This is drinkable water and now it is wasted. The city talks about day zero yet we are wasting water.”
Mayoral committee member for energy‚ informal settlements‚ water and waste services Xanthea Limberg said the pipe was fixed in less than 24 hours after the leak was reported.