Johannesburg - Communities in various areas South of Durban are up in arms following a prolonged interruption of basic service delivery like water and electricity which were cut off by the eThekwini Municipality over the weekend.
Townships including Adams Mission, KwaMakhutha, Ilovu and others south of Durban were on Monday still reeling from a widespread water shortage after their taps went dry on Friday morning without any official explanation.
A KwaMakhutha resident who spoke to ANA on the phone on condition of anonymity, alleged that some community members on Sunday held at gunpoint two of the trucks delivering water to one section, and forcefully diverted the trucks to deliver water to another part of the township instead.
“Things are tense here and the community is agitated. We’ve not had water since we woke up on Friday. As things stand, we relieve ourselves at the Galleria Mall. I am lucky to have a car and I can draw water from the factory where I work,” he said.
Ward councillor Sipho Dlamini confirmed the tension in the community, but couldn’t elaborate as he was in meetings.
EThekwini Municipality on Monday acknowledged the “interruption of services” in areas south of Durban.
Spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said the delays in delivering the services are a result of threats and intimidation of municipal staff and contractors by a group of unknown people.
“eThekwini Municipality wishes to inform residents that we are currently experiencing delays in providing services, including water and electricity, to some parts of the City. The delays are a result of threats and intimidation of municipal staff and contractors by a group of unknown people,” Mthethwa said.
Mthethwa said affected services included delays in attending to reports of electricity faults and power outages; delays in water delivery as water tankers are being stoned; and plumbers, attending to leaks and burst pipes, being threatened and prevented from working.
“The City is engaging with law enforcement authorities to ensure that residents are not further inconvenienced. We appeal to members of the public to be patient while the City resolves the matter which is currently hampering service delivery,” Mthethwa added.
ANA