Always ask for a reference number
Report to the Buffalo City Metro Municipality
Water and Sanitation Department
- Call: 043 705 9234/9235
General Reporting
Call: 086 111 3017
Twitter: @OfficialBCMM
Steps for successful reporting
Contact the municipality to report the problem.
Stay patient, be polite and always ask for a reference number.
Let your neighbourhood group know that you have reported the problem and share the reference number with the group.
Keep following up using your reference number. The more you and your neighbours follow up, the more likely it is to get fixed.
Water issues you can report
Blocked and overflowing sewers/drains
Check water issues
Bad water quality
No water
Low water pressure
Leaking municipal pipes
Sanitation and waste disposal issues you can report
Street cleaning
Collection and removal of waste from households and businesses
Recycling of home waste
Issuing black refuse bags to residents and clear bags for recyclable waste
Removal of garden refuse and builders' rubble using skip services
Removal of dead animals
Clearing of debris in cut-off trenches
Covering of compacted waste with appropriate soil cover
Grading of access roads
Composting of garden refuse
Community toilets: townships/informal settlements
Illegal dumping
No luck with reporting?
If you can't get through or your issue isn’t being resolved, reach out to your ward councillor or community groups. You can escalate your issue by clicking here for more options.
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
How to start a residents' association
How to set up a community policing forum
How to set up a neighbourhood watch
How to organise community action
How to use media to create pressure for change
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
Photograph supplied by: ECR
Cape Town
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