KwaDukuza residents fear it will be a dry new year

Aresh Singh delivers water to KwaDukuza residents. Supplied

Aresh Singh delivers water to KwaDukuza residents. Supplied

Published Dec 6, 2019

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Durban - KWADUKUZA residents are in crisis mode. They fear they will begin the new year without water.

Areas like High Ridge, New

Guelderland and Stanger Manor have been affected by regular water cuts.

A few weeks ago, residents threatened to withhold their monthly rates and levies due to service delivery issues, but decided against it.  

On Monday night, the residents held an emergency meeting to address the problem.

Krishna Pillay, of High Ridge, said he did not have water for a week.

Pillay and other residents went to iLembe Municipality mayor Sibusiso Welcome Mdabe’s office last month.

“We pleaded our case, and while we sat there, he sent three water tankers to High Ridge,” said Pillay.

He added that he asked the mayor to dispatch tankers to Shakaville and

Lindelani settlements, as the communities did not have water for nine

days.

Pillay said the residents formed a task team and contacted the mayor last week for a follow-up meeting.

“We told him that if the water crisis issue was not resolved, we would go to the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).”

On Tuesday, Pillay said the residents compiled a memorandum which they intended handing to Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka and Mdabe.

“We also have legal eagles in our group. One of them suggested we make an application in the Durban High Court to compel the municipality to address our crisis.”

He said they were informed that a new water system would be completed by December 1 but that did not materialise. “They told us that only 10% of the new system was left for completion but they changed contractors at the last minute and we don’t have the new system.”

Ronica Subramanian, also of High Ridge, added: “We have two municipalities - iLembe for water and sanitation but KwaDukuza for everything else.

“It makes no sense.”

She said the water supply was intermittent throughout the year. “We will sometimes go for two days with water and then no water at all for a week.

“When we ask, we get nowhere. It’s frustrating.”

Subramanian said she feared history would repeat itself. Last year, she did not have water on Christmas Day and most of the festive season.

Aresh Singh, from New Guelderland, said the area had no water for over a month.

“The municipality had the audacity to tell us the water would be cut while the pipes are repaired.

“But we have no water to cut. And that same pipe probably burst three times this year.

“They need better co-ordination and workmanship.

“It is just chaos and lies.”

Singh, the founder of Crime Stop Ukukusiza, said he had hitched a tanker to the back of his bakkie and delivered water to various areas.

“One day I decided enough was enough. So I built my own tanker because it was clear the municipality did not care.”

He delivers over 3000 litres of water at a time and does multiple trips per day.

The iLembe District Municipality said it would respond to the matter this week.

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