Water crisis: Department of Water Affairs to probe ‘sandbagging’ of Buffalo River
"We are engaging the Department of Water and Sanitation to ensure all unauthorised and unlawful water users are dealt with in terms of the law."
The water crisis has deepened with the revelation that the flow of the Buffalo River has been impeded and diverted by a stack of sandbags.
Pradeep Ramlall, Umzinyathi’s water services manager, told the Courier that he was shocked by the find.
“This is against the law in terms of the National Water Act Section 21. It had brought about a total stoppage of flow at Tayside since Tuesday and Wednesday. We have had to ask the Department of Water and Sanitation to intervene as it almost brought about a collapse of services. When consumers get home they have no water by the evening.
“We are engaging the Department of Water and Sanitation to ensure all unauthorised and unlawful water users are dealt with in terms of the law.”
It is not clear who is responsible for the sandbagging.
For the past two days, water has been cut off in the high-lying areas, especially Dundee, between 4pm and 5pm. It then only returns the next morning. The lower lying areas of Mpati and Peacevale are not affected as much as water tends to gravity feed down from the reservoir.
Parts of Glencoe are still relying on trucked-in water.
