Residents are desperate amid the water crisis
As July 29 marked the third day without water, desperate residents walked to Liebherr-Africa's head office in Springs to get water.
There are heightened emotions among residents as they have been struggling without water for days.
This follows the Rand Water maintenance, scheduled for 77 hours, from July 26 to 29. The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) informed residents they would supply them with water, but the residents claimed the water provided by the water tankers was not sufficient.
This sparked outrage as community members began fighting over the water and some have been accused of attacking the truck drivers.
As July 29 marked the third day without water, desperate residents walked to Liebherr-Africa’s head office in Springs to get water.
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On the afternoon of July 30, Ext 4, Phase 1 resident, Ramalilo Makhobela (59) waited in line for water and returned home with empty buckets.
“As old as I am, I must walk all this distance to collect water, only to be turned back because it was not enough for everyone.
“It is heart-breaking. Children are missing out on school because their uniform is dirty; they cannot bathe and we cannot cook for them,” she said.
Another community member, Lerato Makopo (35), living with a chronic illness, expressed her desperate need for water to drink her medication.
“This water crisis has left us vulnerable; I must eat before I take my pills but it is impossible to do so without water.”
She also mentioned the last time the truck had been to their area was July 28. She revealed that people’s health was being compromised.
“Our local clinic refused to open their gates to allow us to fetch our medication, stating they had no water to wash hands, therefore they will not operate. What kind of clinic does not have water tanks?” she asked.
After the truck had left, some community members returned from Liebherr with buckets of water.
“The last time we went there, it was chaotic. The residents were trying to push their way through the gate. Today things were calmer but the distance from home to Liebherr is exhausting,” Luthando Bhilana said.
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Ward 77 Clr Thulani Dunjana used social media on July 29 to inform locals about the state of the water supply, noting that low-lying areas should have water by midday.
“For now, we have to rely on the two water trucks for Kwa-Thema and nearby industrial areas. The executive and MMC responsible for water in Ekurhuleni again failed us.
“You cannot subject a location as big as Kwa-Thema to be supplied by two trucks,” Dunjana said.
The African Reporter sent an enquiry to the CoE which yielded no response at the time of publication.
