Illegal water connections are their source of life

KABOKWENI – Water supply is a problem that is affecting many residents around the province. Some of the residents were forced to embark on service delivering protests where most of their grievances included roads and water supply.

Some of the areas that were making headlines due to similar grievances include Kanyamazane, Pienaar, Thulamahashe and Bushbuckridge, just to name the few, while residents of Mhlumeni and Thembelihle are surviving with illegall water connections for more than two years now.

One of the residents, who was caught red-handed by this publication illegally connecting water, said they know that what they are doing is illegal, but said they don’t have a choice because water is a source of life.

“The truth is that we can’t live without water, but the municipality is failing us in terms of water provision. They have tried to introduce the project of supplying water with trucks, but it’s not working at all. In some areas around Mbonisweni, they spend days without water.

Water supply is very poor, so sometimes we are forced to get water from the wells which we are not guaranteed that the water is 100% clean. The illegal water connection is the only solution that we have since we have been surviving for some years,” he said. Ward Councillor, Cllr Stanley Nobela said,

“Illegal water connection is against the law and it is a waste because in most cases, the connections are not properly connected. Sometimes you find water spilling into the streets as a result of these illegal connections. We are doing our best to ensure that we supply water with trucks, and we all provide community Jojo tankers which we also make sure that they are always filled with water. If they are experiencing any challenges with water supply, they must feel free to contact me as they ward councillor.”

Mbombela’s executive mayor, Cllr Cathy Dlamini said they have been battling for a very long time with the issue of illegal connections by the community.

“The problem we’ve always been experiencing of a shortage or inefficient water supply to the communities, stems from illegal connections in many places around the municipality.

“We have spent millions of rands trying to alleviate it by constructing additional reservoirs in order to increase the mobility of water from reservoirs to respective homesteads, but in vain. Each time there is a new intervention, the more illegal connections are effected by the communities themselves.

“There is also the issue of land invasions by communities at places that were never surveyed or prepared for settlement, this poses a problem for us as a municipality as we are then expected to provide services. All of these services are budgeted for in advance through consultations, but we’re expected to act, no matter what.

“It would be appropriate for communities to attend our IDP consultative meetings which are ongoing at the moment, so they can understand matters of delivery. It’s not about what you want now, but what has been planned and prioritized through consultation,” she said.