Taps in Ext 8 of Lekwa have been dry for four weeks
Apart from the water woes, the potholed roads are difficult to navigate and some taxi drivers no longer see their way open to travel on it and the passengers are dropped off, with groceries most of the times, to walk home.
A horrific situation is playing out in Ext 8 in the township where residents near the RDP-houses, have been without water supply for four weeks.
Angel Khanyile, DA Member of Parliament, took the Standerton Advertiser to a group of frustrated women and a few men, on Wednesday, September 28 at about 10:30.
Khanyile was ready to translate their grievances to the newspaper. The women take containers to a nearby dam to fill up for washing, cleaning and cooking purposes, not to mention sanitation requirements.
They were vocal in their condemnation of the one water truck, that sometimes arrives without notification.
It could not be confirmed whether it is deployed by the Lekwa Municipality, but the angry women said they make do with watching the Leandra Road fill up their containers.
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In the meantime, they go to the dam and trespass to keep body and soul together in their homes.
“The DA definitely does not condone the activities, but what are they supposed to do?” Khanyile said.
The water from the truck also does not meet the demand from the residents and some are not able to benefit an iota from the supply. Some people from Kosmospark also keep an eye on the water truck. The ANC-councillor in the ward has not been of any assistance, was one of the allegations.
The conversation then turned to political affiliations and the disgruntled group did not beat about the bush with regard to service delivery.
According to the MP, they demanded that the executive mayor, Louis Delani Thabethe, intervenes as a matter of urgency. According to them, the licence disks of the trucks have expired.
“They are stuck in their homes during power interruptions,” Khanyile commented.
Apart from the water woes, the potholed roads are difficult to navigate and some taxi drivers no longer see their way open to travel on it and the passengers are dropped off, with groceries most of the time, to walk home.
A pungent smell awaited the newspaper when going to some of the RDP houses. The blocked toilets had to be reckoned with. It is quite apparent that the locals have been redirecting sewage water from their homes.
Khanyile was contacted to help them and she promised to escalate it to national level, before making a few phone calls.
During one conversation, it transpired that the municipality is under the belief that Ext 8 is being serviced with water supply.
“This matter is going to be raised in parliament,” she promised.
She undertook to get the wheels rolling with CoGTA and the Department of Water and Sanitation.
One niggly detail was the water quality in the dam and Khanyile expressed her concern over e-coli levels.
She emphasised that the constitutional rights of these residents are being violated and referred to Chapter 2 of the Constitution and the right to have access to sufficient water.
The Standerton Advertiser contacted, Thando Nkosi, communications officer at Lekwa, on Thursday, September 29 for comment. No feedback was received at the time of going to press.
