An 82-year-old man left without water for 10 days

An 82-year-old Ferndale man was left without running water for 10 days due to a 29-month billing issue, right at the beginning of the nationwide coronavirus crisis.

The daughter of the pensioner, Belinda van Heerden, said that even though her father’s water service was restored on 28 March, his water should not have been cut off in the first place.

“My dad has had this ongoing billing issue for the past 29 months and we have been from pillar to post to try and sort it out. I have been in touch with both ward councillors in this area to try and help sort the problem out”

On 11 March, Johannesburg Water terminated the water supply to the home. “My dad just turned 82 and he is not in great shape, and the whole situation was very grim.” In the interim, his neighbours were kind enough to supply him with water from their own homes.

Van Heerden continued, “They really have been so kind and so helpful and they even attached a hose from their homes so that he can get some running water. Hot water, on the other hand, for the basic need of a warm shower was a big issue. The neighbours offered him a hot shower in their homes, but he still needed his dignity.”

She said that her dad has lived in the property for many years, building it from the ground up. “It is a basic human right to have even a small trickle of water. He had nothing in his taps but air.”

On 28 March, Ward 102 councillor David Potter confirmed that the gentleman’s water had been turned back on again. “The man’s water service has been restored, and the query will need to be workshopped when the City is back in action.”

Van Heerden added, “In this trying time, it is such a blessing that he has access to running water again while we wait to get the billing issue sorted out for good.”

The Randburg Sun has contacted Johannesburg Water and is awaiting their comment.

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