For almost a month, residents in Forderville’s Twelfth Street have been watching thousands of litres of clean drinking water go to waste, while neighbouring suburbs have been left with dry taps.
The entire street is awash with water from a leak which residents say has been reported to uThukela District Municipality countless times.
One such resident is Preya Goodoon, who is feeling the effects of the neglected water leak on her doorstep.
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Water gushing from the leak has meandered its way into Ms Goodoon’s premises and is causing a mess, as well as damaging the family home.
She said that when the water leak was reported, uThukela staff came out to look.
“They checked the leak, covered it and left. It was not fixed properly and it started again,” Ms Goodoon explained.
She has personally contacted the call centre; staff from the district municipality who work in Estcourt; as well as the ward councillor, but to no avail.
“The water is flowing through my yard and seeping into the foundations. The yard is soaking wet and I am concerned that it will cause severe damage to my home, which I cannot afford to fix. My dad is ill and depends on a pension,” Ms Goodoon said.
She points to the cement that is flaking off as a result of the constant water flow and questions who is responsible for the damage to her property.
“uThukela is not doing anything to fix this leak and it’s been more than three weeks. It’s such a waste of water when so many people in Estcourt are suffering without water,” she added.
Ms Goodoon’s neighbour also invited the reporter into her yard to point out the extent of the water damage.
It is nearly impossible to walk to the backyard without being ankle-deep in water.
“I can’t even hang out my washing. This is a terrible way to live,” remarked the Twelfth Street resident.
uThukela communication manager Jabulani Mkhonza was alerted about the leak and the residents’ plight in Twelfth Street, and was asked to explain why the problem has been neglected for several weeks. He was also asked when repairs are expected. No response was received.
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