• Sarah Schoonwinkel writes:
Good morning Mr Gray and all other (un)interested parties. We have now reached the ninety-day milestone during which time West Village, as you are well aware, has had no water every morning between midnight and approximately 06:30.
I have typed that phase so many times now that my fingers do it automatically. I have had absolutely no sensible responses from anybody who can resolve this problem. To all my close on 100 tweets on the subject there is little to no response. My Facebook posts likewise attract much attention from my acquaintances but not a single word from anybody listed here as a main respondent. Indeed, the municipality has been as silent as the grave throughout. I have tried all manner of approaches to this issue to no avail and even the recent loss of a life during a fire drew no response from the DA.
Also read: West Village resident details water supply issues to which mayor responds
The young man who was burnt to death in his flat in West Village could have been saved had there been any water with which to extinguish the fire. I wonder how much solace the Mayor’s usual excuses have brought the family of this poor young man? One death is one too many. Or is his tragic demise of little importance because he was a West Village resident?
Surely you have learnt a bitter lesson from this death and realised that this situation cannot be allowed to continue?
If somebody knocks over a Primus stove or a candle in the early hours fire will rip through the backyard shacks in West Village like an inferno. Do you want yet more blood on your hands? For pity’s sake search your consciences (if such a thing may be ascribed to a state employee) and get this situation resolved without any further delay. Please do not insult my intelligence by proffering yet more excuses and that tedious oft-repeated justification for our circumstances – there is a solution and with the will to enact it we will all be happy and you will not receive any more of these mails.
Sadly I am beginning to think that the will to sort this out is completely absent. Had it been your suburb I doubt if this problem would have lasted five days let alone the five years the issue has been simmering away. The cost of the generator to pump our water and the fuel must be shocking. Surely finding a solution would be the cheaper option? Or don’t you care because it’s not coming out of your pocket, but is being paid for by the taxpayer, poor miserable sods that we are.
I am still stunned that in five years nobody has bothered to find a way to sort this out. I will not desist from my campaign until it is satisfactorily and permanently resolved and if I must I will take this to a higher authority.
Our constitutional rights may not be trampled on in this arrogant and careless manner. I look forward to hearing from somebody with a sensible, workable and immediate solution.
