A burst pipe at a busy intersection in Newton Park, Gqeberha, left a gaping hole in the road and flooded the street with millions of litres of water. Repairs were delayed after it was discovered that WiFi network boxes had been installed directly over the pipe.

Cape Road in Newton Park, Gqeberha, briefly turned into a river on Tuesday morning when a large water pipe burst near the intersection with 2nd Avenue, cracking open the tar and sending millions of litres of clean water gushing down the street and into stormwater drains.

The burst caused pressure and supply problems for several neighbourhoods, including Newton Park, Mill Park, Greenacres, Perridgevale and Parsons Hill.

Ward 7 councillor Brendon Pegram issued a statement warning residents in surrounding areas that their water supply could be affected as municipal contractors worked to repair the damaged pipe.

"I was notified about the issue around 6.10am and immediately notified our teams to send someone out," said Pegram.

The burst pipe, at the intersection of Cape Road and 2nd Avenue, caused a section of road to collapse. Municipal traffic services closed the damaged section and directed traffic around it.

Further up the road, municipal contractors opened a manhole,...