The News is happy to report that the situation in KZN’s South Coast seems to be coming to an end. The strike, which resulted in thousands of residents being left without water, is over for now, and water supply is trickling back.
Holiday makers will soon be on their way to the coast for a mid-year break meaning that all will be well between municipal workers and the local government.
However, the situation remains critical and holiday makers are warned to use water sparingly.
Thirsty KZN South Coasters appeal for water
8 June
Caxton Community newspapers are appealing to their readers to come to the rescue of thousands of people living on the KZN South Coast who have been without a stable water supply for two weeks.
Some are the poorest of the poor and they have had to rely on store-bought water because of an on-going strike by workers at the Ugu District Municipality.
The entire Ugu District water supply system is constantly being tampered with, making it extremely difficult to get a consistent supply to thousands of people.
Communities were being supplied by tanker, but the municipality was forced to stop the service because a ‘pressure group’ started intimidating drivers.
Working on a skeleton staff of senior people, the municipality has worked tirelessly to restore water to various areas. However, the moment they get water flowing, pipes and valves are sabotaged.
A court interdict has been ignored by workers, and police and security firms are on high alert. The crisis has been elevated to the provincial government which declared it ‘a disaster’.
Currently, there is a ‘Mexican stand-off’ between management and workers who are demanding back-pay and ‘overtime’ following a previous strike over a cancelled ‘death and disability’ insurance scheme.
At that stage, the municipality capitulated and refunded millions to the workers to get them back to work, but they also implemented a ‘no-work, no pay’ policy.
Hence the latest strike.
While some South Coast residents have the luxury of drawing water from swimming pools, there are many thousands who don’t. Unemployment is high and money scarce. Yet they are now forced to buy bottled water to live.
Caxton is making a general appeal to all readers of its newspapers to drop off bottled water at your local newspaper office.
The water will then be trucked down to the South Coast Herald’s offices in Port Shepstone for distribution to the neediest communities.
For more information, e-mail {randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za} or phone 011 955 1130. Caxton Joburg West is situated on the corner of Generaal Pienaar Avenue and Ham Street, Witpoortjie, Roodepoort.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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