POLOKWANE – Executive Mayor John Mpe said the municipality is working around the clock to bring back water supply to the city.
Polokwane has been without consistent water supply for several weeks, leaving residents and businesses having to wait for water tankers or buy water to get by.
Read more: No water? Muni says it’s due to load-shedding
Mpe spoke to eNCA earlier today where he said load-shedding has thrown a spanner in the works with regards to pumping water to the city.
“We have been in discussions with Eskom to ensure security of supply to Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) to ensure that operations continue,” he said.
Mpe promised that reservoirs will be filled within 48 hours of load-shedding ending.
“We were on course to resolve previous issues and we are committing that this problem will be resolved as soon as load-shedding ends,” he told the news channel.
Mpe said prior to the ongoing rolling blackouts, the municipality had resolved its previous internal and mechanical problems and that water had been reaching the city’s reservoirs.
Read more: Polokwane water crisis: Mayor puts plans in place
However, LNW said although water supply had been reinstated at full capacity, not all reservoirs in the in the city were filling up and requested the closing of valves at low consumption times for all reservoirs in the city to fill up residents to receive water.
“Our reservoirs are low and it is not sufficient to reach high-lying areas in the city. We commit to resolving this once we deal with load-shedding,” he said.
Mpe said it is “unforgivable” that an entity such as LNW has no form of back-up power.
“We have engaged with LNW on the matter. Most of our operations should have back-up electricity by now and we are working on ensuring that there are no challenges for us to manage the risk of load-shedding.”
The city’s ability to provide water at the beginning of the month deteriorated to such a level that Mpe had to call on the Deputy Ministers of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo and Dikeledi Magadzi to seek urgent and decisive intervention relating to ongoing challenges hampering water provision.
It also led to protests by residents in Seshego and Extension 76 and a constant outcry from the city’s residents.
Read more: Extension 76 residents block roads over lack of water supply
Mpe resolved that a meeting would be set up with residents in the city over the ongoing water shortage and said that continuous communication is important.
“It is imperative that we concentrate on resolving the problem more than just communicating to residents. Residents don’t want to hear speeches, they want water and that’s what we’re working on around the clock,” he said.
Earlier today, municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said water tankers continue to line up at the municipal drawing points to assist the community with temporary supply.
“The water tankers experience delays as and when the points experience load-shedding for two hours twice or thrice in a day. The municipality is working hard to ensure that affected areas receive supply,” he said.
