DURBAN North and uMhlanga residents may have to rely on water stored in local reservoirs after metal thieves caused a suspension bridge that carries water across the uMgeni northwards to collapse. eThekwini municipality’s head of water and sanitation, Neil Macleod, said the thieves had cut nine cables causing the bridge which is in Reservoir Hills, to collapse late this afternoon (9 June).
As a result, residents in the northern suburbs may be without water within the next two days as the supply dwindles.
“As a result of the collapse we have lost the capacity to take 60 to 70 percent of water to the North, which includes Durban North, uMhlanga, KwaMashu, Phoenix and Inanda. Residents in these areas will be dependent on water storage in the forms of reservoirs in the areas.”
Macleod, a Durban North resident said its not clear at this stage how long the water supplies in the North will last.
“We are having a meeting tomorrow to assess the situation and to see how long it will take to repair the bridge. I urge residents to conserve as much water as they possibly can and to make the water last,” he said.
Macleod said the municipality would send out water tanks if the situation called for it and again asked residents to use water sparingly.
uMhlanga councillor Heinz de Boer echoed Macleod’s sentiments saying the latest incident highlighted the seriousness of metal theft.
“The situation is extremely frustrating, the carelessness of these thieves now means thousands of residents will be without water for an indeterminate period,” he said.
“The city has already spent R100 million to repair the pedestrian walkway on the Ellis Brown Viaduct on the M4 which collapsed in 2012, also due to metal theft. There’s no doubt this latest catastrophe will also cost millions of rands to repair.”
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