Blocked Drains in South Africa: Who to Call and What It Costs
24 May 2026 · Plumbers On Duty
Quick answer
- Blocked basin, sink, bath, shower or toilet — call a plumber
- Blocked main drain inside your property boundary — call a plumber (use a drain specialist for older clay-pipe homes)
- Sewage flooding from the street manhole or your boundary inspection chamber — call the municipality first; it is their responsibility
How to tell where the blockage is
- Find your inspection chamber — there is usually a round concrete or plastic lid in the garden or driveway, near where your sewer line leaves the property.
- Lift the lid carefully and look inside.
- Chamber is empty / dry → blockage is between the house and the chamber. Plumber.
- Chamber is full of sewage → blockage is between the chamber and the street. Municipality (it is on their side, even though the pipe runs through your property).
Who to call by municipality
| Municipality | Number |
|---|---|
| City of Johannesburg (Joburg Water) | 0860 56 28 74 |
| City of Cape Town | 0860 103 089 |
| eThekwini (Durban) | 080 131 3013 |
| City of Tshwane (Pretoria) | 012 358 9999 |
| Ekurhuleni | 0860 543 000 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha) | 080 020 5050 |
| Mangaung (Bloemfontein) | 051 405 8911 |
Log a reference number — without one, follow-up is impossible.
What it costs
- Sink, basin or bath unblock: R600–R1,200
- Toilet unblock: R700–R1,400
- Main drain unblock (rodding): R1,200–R2,500
- Drain jetting (high-pressure): R2,500–R4,500
- CCTV drain camera inspection: R1,500–R3,500
- Drain repair (collapsed pipe): R8,000+
Common causes
- Wet wipes — even "flushable" ones cause 60%+ of household blockages
- Fats and cooking oil — solidify in cold pipes overnight
- Hair in shower and bath drains
- Tree roots entering clay or asbestos pipes at joints (common in older Joburg and Cape Town suburbs)
- Sand and soil from washing yard tools in a basin
DIY first?
For a sluggish basin or shower:
- Boil a kettle and pour slowly down the drain
- Try a plunger (cover the overflow with a cloth)
- Unscrew the trap (the U-bend under the basin) over a bucket and clean it out
Skip the DIY for:
- Toilets — splash risk and contamination
- Smelly drains — usually a venting issue, needs diagnosis
- Recurring blockages — there is an underlying pipe problem
Never pour caustic soda or "Drano" repeatedly
Caustic blockage products damage PVC pipes, eat through old galvanised steel, and burn skin/eyes. Use once in an emergency, never as a regular fix.