THE water crisis in KwaNdengezi and surrounding areas has had a negative impact on learners as the schools are often forced to close early due to the water shortage.
According to residents, the problem has been ongoing for more than three years now.
“Water is restored in the early hours of the morning and late at night when we are asleep. Weekends are the worst as we are without a drop of water for most of them. This is really frustrating and no one is giving us any solutions,” said an irate resident.
“Just last weekend, there was a big event to commemorate 16 Days of Activism against women and children, but the area had no water,”
Bill Draper from the Pinetown Rotary Club said the club has just spent R7 000 on installing a 2 000-litre JoJo tank at the KwaNdengezi Education Centre so that it can stay open all day.
“The water in the area generally runs out at about 10am and has done so for many years,” he said.
Another resident who wished to remain anonymous from Mangangeni, a small rural area just outside KwaNdengezi, said their area is just a disaster. “We have been without water for a full eight months.
“Calling the water department has just turned out to be a waste of time because each and every time we are given references and when you follow up on those references they tell you it has been removed from the system as plumbers were sent to sort out the problem.”
The resident said the area has no proper roads; there is only one road which is accessible, so when a water tanker trunk does come out, some people cannot get to it on time.
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“The community has to go to other places to get water, some of which have also run dry so people are without water for two to three days,” he said.
eThekwini spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said the City is aware of the water issues faced by the residents of KwaNdengezi.
“These issues are being addressed through the western aqueduct system which is currently under construction. In the interim, the City is sending an influx of water tankers to the area. We are also working closely with the councillors to ensure that we are aware which areas are most in need of water.”
Mayisela said the water issues in the area stem from the growing demand for supply.
“We have also noted that whenever there were minor or major interruptions such power outages or a burst pipe, the reservoirs would struggle to fill up. The relevant Unit is working around the clock to ensure that the residents have sufficient water during the construction of the aqueduct,” said Mayisela.
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