Phumlamqashi residents shut down major routes over water outages

Residents of Phumlamqashi informal settlement near Lenasia South have barricaded roads with debris, rocks and burning tyres, bringing traffic to a standstill and forcing motorists to use alternative routes.

The community of Lenasia South received a notice of the shutdown from the leadership of Phumlamqashi on Sunday.

Total shutdown

In the notice seen by The Citizen, the leadership warned residents to avoid the area and use the surrounding roads.

“In order to avoid any damage or disruptions, we kindly request that all businesses close from morning until 14h00.

“The purpose of this shutdown is to demonstrate our community’s concerns and to deliver a memorandum to the Office of the president,” the leadership said.

ALSO READ: Joburg Water warns Phumlamqashi it will not reconnect illegal connections

Road closed

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla told The Citizen that officers are on the scene, monitoring the protest.

“Law enforcement officials have received reports of protest action along Golden Highway in Lenasia South, which is currently blocked off to traffic between Wimbledon Road and R558 Provincial Road. This is affecting traffic coming from Zakariyya Park and Vlakfontein on the north and Orange Farm on the south.

“It is understood that residents of Phumlamqashi informal settlement have embarked on a total shutdown due to water issues in the area. Motors are urged to exercise caution when travelling in the area.  Rather avoid and use Klipspruit Valley Road, also known as K43 and N1, as alternative routes,” Fihla said.

Water outages

The Phumlamqashi informal settlement has been plagued by water outages

Last week, ward councillor Puseletso Celestina Nzimande told The Citizen that Lenasia South reservoir is not coping, adding that illegal connections had been disconnected in the area.

Residents contend that illegal water connections in informal settlements are exacerbating the crisis.

“Residents were warned that if illegal connections were not addressed, one day we would wake up with our taps dry… Phumlamqashi residents now want the City of Joburg to bring illegal connections,” said Nzimande.

Illegal connections

In December, Joburg Water warned residents of Phumlamqashi that illegal connections in the informal settlement would not be reconnected.

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala stressed that Lenasia High-Level Reservoir has experienced a significant increase in water levels following a successful intervention to optimise water distribution in the area.

“The entity wishes to reiterate that it will not be connecting the illegal connection at the Phumla Mqashi informal settlement in Lenasia South. This is following a disconnection operation in the area on 12 November.

“The intervention also marks a significant step forward in reducing the entity’s nonrevenue water (NRW), the percentage of water supplied but not billed to customers. This ongoing challenge, which Johannesburg Water has worked tirelessly to address over the years, is seeing encouraging progress due to these operational adjustments and various other water demand management projects,” Shabalala said.

Shabalala said the Lenasia High-Level and Hospital Hill reservoirs, which had previously faced challenges in reaching optimal water levels, have now achieved a significant milestone in their operational performance.

ALSO READ: Major Joburg highway could be blocked next week due to shut down