Targeted plan delivers progress on City’s trench reinstatements
16 January 2026
City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate continues to make steady and measurable progress in tackling trench reinstatements across the metro, supported by operational improvements and a dedicated, ring-fenced intervention.
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has actioned a plan to tackle reinstatements via two separate initiatives aimed at clearing the historical backlog while attending to recent day-to day service requests. Collectively, steady progress is being made.
Breakaway Project for historical reinstatements
This project has been focussing on tackling about 7 000 long-standing reinstatements that fall outside the Service Level Agreement (SLA), particularly in areas with the highest backlog. A centralised service provider has been appointed to address this.
To date, 4 170 of the ring-fenced reinstatement notifications have been verified and measured on site to confirm whether reinstatement work is actually required. This verification process includes site inspections, measurements and record checks, and has provided the City with improved visibility of the true extent of the backlog.
80% (3 352) of the 4 170 verified reinstatement queries have already been resolved:
- 1 448 reinstatements have been physically completed
- 989 were identified as duplicate notifications
- 915 were logged in error, meaning they did not require reinstatement work
- 818 reinstatements are currently in progress
‘About 60% of the long-standing reinstatements which were ring-fenced, have already been addressed through the new Breakaway Project. The verification process has been a critical step in ensuring that resources are directed to genuine outstanding reinstatements. It has allowed teams to work more efficiently while improving oversight and accountability. Teams will continue to verify and resolve the remaining long-standing cases,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Daily operational reinstatements
Alongside the Breakaway Project, City teams across four regions also completed an improved 3 732 reinstatements by the end of November 2025.
The data shows that for the first time since the action plan was implemented, the rate at which reinstatements are being completed now exceeds the rate at which new reinstatements are being created, with outstanding cases reduced from 10 383 in September 2025 to 9 650 in November 2025.
‘The progress we are seeing is the result of deliberate planning, improved coordination and the right support structures. We remain committed to reducing the backlog further and working towards our goal of ensuring that no reinstatement is older than 90 days,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Work under way across the metro
Purchase orders have been issued to the contractor for the first four work packages under the professional services provider (PSP) programme. Work package five was accepted by the contractor at the end of November 2025.
The City aims to issue the purchase order for work package five by early January 2026. Work has already commenced on the first two PSP work packages, with 43% of work package one already completed and accepted as good quality to date.
- Work package one (issued 6 October 2025) covers Tafelsig, Claremont, Lansdowne, Rylands, Athlone, Philippi, Belgravia, Pinelands, Rondebosch, Maitland, Observatory, Woodstock and Oranjezicht.
- Work package two (issued 21 October 2025) covers Florida/Cravenby, Gardens, Beaconvale, Camps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bay, Fresnaye, Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay, Green Point, Bo-Kaap, Tamboerskloof, the CBD, District Six, Vredehoek, Salt River and Paarden Eiland.
- Work package three (issued 5 November 2025) covers Kensington, Windermere, Mowbray, Rosebank, Thornton, Epping, Langa, Silvertown, Kewtown, Hazendal, Newlands, Kenilworth, Crawford, Belthorn Estate, Penlyn Estate, Pinati Estate, Bothasig, Edgemead, Monte Vista, Welgelegen, Baronetcy Estate, Panorama, Northgate, Kaapzicht, Glenwood, Tygerdal, N1 Stad, De Tijger, Fairfield Estate, Richmond Estate, Vasco Estate, Goodwood Estate and Goodwood Ext 1.
- Work package four (issued 18 November 2025) covers Parow North, Belvedere Tygerberg, Avondale Parow, Oosterzee, Clamhall, Churchill Estate, Glenlily, Townsend Estate, Parow East, Parow, Klipkop, Parow Valley, Parow Industria, Ruyterwacht, Riverton, Elsies River, Elsies River Industria, Montana, Montevideo and Airport City.
- Work package five (in the process of being issued) will cover Ravensmead, Uitsig, Eureka Estate, Connaught, Leonsdale, Avon, Adriaanse, Matroosfontein, Elanor, The Range, Elsies River, Bishop Lavis, Nooitgedacht, Valhalla Park, Charlesville, Bonteheuwel, Welcome Estate, Heideveld, Gatesville, Hatton, Surrey Estate, Newfields, Hanover Park, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Lentegeur, Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain, Eastridge, New Woodlands, Portland, Rocklands, Strandfontein, Westridge, Colorado Park, Rondevlei Park, Harmony Village and Morgans Village.
The City thanks residents for their patience as teams continue restoring pavements, driveways and roads safely and efficiently across Cape Town.
END
Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town
