The residents of the South deserve better

Water is a basic human right so we fully understand that there are occasions when the vital infrastructure that provides water needs to receive maintenance.

We, therefore, accept that Rand Water did advertise the 54-hour shut down for maintenance to take place on the B11 and B19 pipelines well in advance, albeit at an inconvenient period as some schools are busy with exams, and as ward councillors, we did our best to disseminate this information to our residents.

However, this shutdown was advertised to take place from November 15 to 17. Our beleaguered residents emerged from the first two days relatively unscathed, but then the problems started at water towers, such as Forest Hill, South Hills, Crown Gardens and Meredale on November 17 and continued past the advertised period.

What adds to our frustrations is that the communication from Joburg Water and Rand Water has been exceptionally poor as there’s just been one media statement released.

What is more disappointing is that the water tanks dispatched by Joburg Water were not sufficient to serve all the affected areas with some wards not even receiving a single tank.

There were some areas such as the South Rand Hospital that were advertised to have a water tank but it sadly did not materialise.

This is even more alarming when you consider that the Southern suburbs have hospitals, clinics, schools, ECD centres and retirement homes

Not to mention the thousands of residents who have to go about their daily lives.

Joburg Water did request the councillors to ask residents to store water as the requests for water tanks might be overwhelming. We understood and duly warned the residents.

However, we did also expect them to provide water tanks as it was advertised that they would.

We will be submitting a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application and the Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South, Hon Manny de Freitas, will submit a question to Parliament enquiring about this crisis.

We also note with disappointment that the National Prosecuting Authority has declined to prosecute the case we opened against the then MMC Mpho Moerane for the water crisis he presided over in July and August.

We are reviewing the reasons they gave and will announce our next steps in due course as people need to be held accountable for the inadequate supply of water.

Cllr Michael Crichton (Ward 56)

Cllr Tyrell Meyers (Ward 23)

Cllr Stuart Marais (Ward 54)

Cllr Rashieda Landis (Ward 55)

Cllr Faeeza Chame (Ward 57)

Cllr Matsobane Sekhu (Ward 125)

Manny de Freitas, MP.

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