DURBAN - Ugu District Municipality residents are not buying the municipality’s announcement that continuous power outages posed a threat to constant water supply in the district.
The municipality’s announcement came hours after Eskom announced Stage 4 load shedding on Wednesday morning.
Eskom said Stage 4 was due to further failures overnight of generation units, moving the country from Stage 2 which was implemented on Monday.
“It is with a great deal of disappointment that Eskom has to inform the public that further failures overnight of generation units has necessitated the implementation of Stage 4 load shedding starting at 9am this morning (Wednesday). Unfortunately, this has to continue until 5am on Friday. Thereafter load shedding will be lowered to Stage 2 until 5am on Monday morning,” Eskom said in a statement.
It said overnight, a unit each at Kendal, Duvha, Camden and Kusile power stations tripped, and load shedding would give the power utility the space required to replenish the emergency reserves and continue to manage the system safely.
The Ugu District Municipality then issued a statement that Eskom’s load shedding would cripple the water generation regime of its major water works stations in the district.
“Our water systems are highly reliant on Eskom power supply to function effectively, and the recent blackouts have increased a risk of constant water disruptions of water in some areas across the district. These power blackouts bring with it the risk associated with obstruction of our water pumping system to provide pressure to higher-lying areas which also has an impact on filling of reservoirs adequately, resulting in restricted supply of water,” read the statement.
“While there is currently a high risk of water supply interruptions in most areas across the district, the municipality will continue monitoring our systems and water quality while doing everything possible to ensure that the impact to our consumers is minimised,” it said.
The municipality further called on its customers to bear with it during this period.
Residents were not impressed and said Ugu failed to provide a stable water supply prior to the announcement of Stage 4 load shedding.
Nicole Pillay said it was just another excuse. As before Eskom’s nonsense, Ugu was still depriving the community of water, and over a protracted period.
Bongani Mgobhozi asked the municipality who it was fooling by writing the statement because deep down the municipality knew that Eskom had nothing to do with poor water supply.
“Around Umdoni area especially ward 17 we usually spend weeks without water in our taps,” Mgobhozi said.
Arthie Bisumbar said: “Marburg hasn't had water since Sunday and this is the first update posted on this page. Furthermore, there was no water prior to load shedding! When are we getting water, or where are the tankers to supply the community during this time??”
Samke Cebisa said Eskom’s power shortfall was clearly fertile ground for the municipality to capitalise on its shortfalls.
“Those expensive generators have been constantly vandalised without the influence of the shortfalls of our state owned enterprise. Those water truck owners have now become your priority because of the initial 'deals' that were made and now we under this district must suffer. Niyajabula bo. The greed and the subtle political discord in this district is compromising our lives. And this nonsense of being so incognito with your statements must stop. Nothing revolutionary about you honestly.”
Daily News