Residents were again left without water over the festive season, and some still do not have water. The water began drying up at the end of November.
This is not the first December that Bethal residents had no water. Many believe that the Govan Mbeki Municipality paid bonuses to their employees instead of settling their debt with Rand Water.
Donald Green, the acting manager of communications at Govan Mbeki Municipality, said they were aware of the supply interruption in some areas of Bethal and eMzinoni.
He also said the interruption was due to load-shedding and technical issues affecting the supply of water to the Bethal reservoir.
“This has created low reservoir levels that have impacted water supply to communities serviced by this reservoir,” said Green.
“The municipality cautions customers that load-shedding may impact water supply in some areas. Our water treatment works and pump stations need electricity to operate. This has resulted in a decreased flow of water to high-lying areas.”
Asked if the municipality had settled the agreed-upon amount with Rand Water for November and December, Green said that for October, the municipality was billed R38,4m and paid just less than R34,7m to Rand Water.
He said the municipality’s total debt to Rand Water is R568,3m.
“The bills for November and December will be discussed at the next ordinary council meeting. Reports about the payments to Eskom and Rand Water are standing items during ordinary council meetings, meaning the executive mayor tables this item to all councillors, the public, and the media,” said Green.
DA Clr Mariaan Chamberlain used social media to update Bethal residents on how full the reservoir was and where they could get water. AfriForum also provided water to residents.
The municipality also sent water tankers to supply water and filled up the Jojo tanks in Bethal’s old age homes.
“The farmers gave us water which we gave to residents,” said Hennie Bekker, AfriForum’s district coordinator for Eastern Mpumalanga.
“We could not give drinking water to everybody, but we could at least give many people water to use for their bathrooms and to cook.”
Chamberlain said the answer she received from the municipality was that with all the load-shedding they can’t pump enough water to keep all the reservoirs full, causing them to rapidly empty.
“While people do not have water, clean water was streaming down the streets of Bethal in some areas,” said Chamberlain.
“In December, Rand Water only used one pump to fill up the reservoir. Now they are using two.”
Some people began to get water this month, however, Bethal residents are angry and fed up with the poor service delivery, frequent water shortages, and power failures. Some areas of Bethal still do not have water.
Residents took to social media to express their opinions about the water issue. This is what they said on Facebook:
Jordaan Riaan
Plots also have no water or just a trickle of water, but nothing useful or consumable. Again, proof that the powers that be do not care about us. That a party that is not in power does all the work to assist us is much appreciated.
The ANC must watch and learn how it is done.
Lizma Swanepoel
Five weeks of excuse after excuse. I think most of the residents are done. I do not believe anything anymore. We are being lied to. We are the ones living in the dark ages. For five weeks now, we’ve had water for only one day a week. What a joke.
Jolene Shepherd
Govan Mbeki Municipality, it is ridiculous how you’re treating the residents. Every year during the festive season there is a ‘problem’ with the water. Is Rand Water water-shedding us due to non-payment? If so, why are only two areas in Bethal suffering the consequences and not those who don’t pay their municipality bills?
John Lundall
If they start paying Rand Water, the pumping won’t be throttled. This happens every December.
Ann Swanepoel
We want the running water we pay for. We pay for 20 days yet no water. We want the truth about why we do not have water. Please.
Ina Laas
We don’t want tankers, we want running water in our taps. I am tired of all the crap they feed us. Time for the community to visit GMM.
Ian van der Watt
For the whole year, no issues with water demand. Wonder if the feed was not reduced? Every December it’s an issue. Why only in December? Are we using so much water with many people away for holidays?
