Residents outraged as Merafong Municipality ignores water crisis

The Merafong City Local Municipality refuses to comment on the ongoing water problems in the area.

Since last week many residents of high-lying areas such as Carletonville Extension 8 and 9 have been complaining that there is almost no water coming from their taps at times.

“No water again. I’m keeping record. You are not giving me a service,” a furious resident of Pafuri Street in Carletonville Extension 8, Daniel Struyweg, complained in a video posted on a service delivery group on social media. In the video he shows how there is virtually no water coming from the tap in his kitchen.

“We again do not have hot or cold water and cannot flush toilets,” a resident of Umlaas Street complained later the week.

After various complaints to the municipality went unanswered, a ward councillor in one of the affected areas, Carl Steenekamp, drew up a survey for residents to report their water problems on. The results of this are shared with the organisation AfriForum for a possible court case against Rand Water.

Other areas such as Welverdiend, parts of Khutsong and other high-lying areas have also been affected.

This bulk water provider warned that they will start to curb the water supply to this municipal area with 20% because Merafong owed them R1 011 020 113 in September, of which the municipal council has only paid R28 000 000 over the past three months.

This amount only accounts for 2.77% of their overdue debt.

Although the municipality originally said that they would try to make another agreement with Rand Water over the issue, they are not answering further questions about the matter.