Video shows dire water situation at Willem Brummer Dam in Ermelo
Amidst level 2 water restrictions, residents expressed their growing frustration over persistent water shortages.
ERMELO – A group of frustrated residents protested at the Msukaligwa Local Municipality (MLM) on September 19, voicing their anger over the ongoing water shortages plaguing the town.
This comes after weeks of dry taps in some areas and alleged poor communication regarding the extent of the water crisis affecting several areas.
ALSO READ: Water crisis: Ermelo faces tough restrictions
Some residents have even taken to social media to express their frustrations, with the Highvelder publishing an article online last week to provide clarity on what level 1 and 2 water restrictions entail.
Video credit: Juliet Basson | Patriotic Alliance Ermelo
The comments on Facebook reveal the frustration and anger among residents:
• Milly Sibanyoni from Ext 2 wrote: “More like a water shutdown. We haven’t had water in Ext 2 for weeks.”
• Sonette Mynhardt expressed her dismay: “What water? Two weeks without water! No answers as to why we don’t have water. ‘Eish, there is a problem with the pump,’ or ‘Eish, I will report it,’ or ‘Eish, the dam is empty, we need rain,’ but eish, we must pay our bill every month. Madness!”
• Garth Cronje added that the restrictions should have been executed long ago: “Should have been implemented six months ago, but we all know that Msukaligwa and competency can’t be used in the same sentence.”
• Nadia Johnstone expanded on Cronje’s comment, criticising local mining activities: “True, but have you seen the mines in the area that are blocking the river flow to the dam? It is ridiculous.”
• Juliet Basson of the Patriotic Alliance voiced her frustration about the lack of communication from councillors: “Why did our current councillors not warn us – the voters who voted for them – that we were heading for a problem? Yet, every month they get paid, while we sit with dry taps.”
Read the complete article in Highvelder.
