No water – people are turning violent
According to them, 19 people were arrested while others were released on warnings
People in various areas are fed-up of being without water for days, weeks and in some cases months on end.
They are also furious about electricity cut-offs.
During two separate protest actions, trucks were set alight in frustration over the situation.
Several community members were arrested during a protest over electricity cut-offs and no water in KwaGuqa Extensions on Monday, March 9.
The protesters said the municipality cannot cut their electricity while service is poor it eMalahleni and they were without water for several months and no answers are provided only to have their electricity being cut off.
They protesters blocked the streets with burning tyres when police allegedly shot some with rubber bullets and some were arrested and appeared in court on public violence charges.
Ms Maria Gwambe said: “I was shot in the chest for no reason, I cannot understand because we were marching peacefully over the cut-offs and the fact that we do not have water for the past months. Some people were even shot while inside their yards. How can you explain that?”
Other victims were young Petunia Khumalo who was shot in the forehead and Sibusiso Magagula in the back and thigh.
They said two other community members had to be admitted to hospital; one of them a 14-year-old learner who was shot in the chest and leg.
Another person who did not want to be identified said she was shot in the arm.
According to them, 19 people were arrested while others were released on warnings.
Attempts to contact the police all failed.
Community members of Klarinet were up in arms protesting over water shortages in their area on Monday, March 16.
They said they have been without water for the past four weeks.
They say that they have knocked on all the doors and they have not been taken serious.
“Every time they switch the water off we have to protest and then they will switch it on. That means one thing, that it is done deliberately. This problem started last year and we tried talking to the relevant authorities but it is the same story of promises without any delivery everytime. We have been told that our problems are pipes, but we think it is technical and done on purpose. People staying in Extensions 6, 7 and 8 are the only ones affected, what about Extensions 3, 4 and 5?” asked the people.
They stated that they have also engaged with Cllr Elliot Shongwe without getting any answers.
A truck belonging to Wamatha Logistics was burned, the truck is worth R2.1m according to Mr Gerhard Steyn, a company official.
Cllr Shongwe said even though the problem is technical, he states that he think the affected extensions are in low laying areas causing the problem.
“I have proposed that we install a reservoir for a short term solution. I have also proposed that we schedule water supply like we do with load shedding for the whole of eMalahleni. I think that can work well for the affected areas, I think the people have genuine concerns and they have a right to raise the issue of water shortages to the relevant authorities,” explain Cllr Shongwe.
