This comes after residents accused LNW of reducing the water supply because the MDM failed to pay them. The speculations arose after the town and nearby areas such as Lulekani have experienced less water in recent weeks. Sophie Shipalana in Lulekani says she has not had water for weeks. “On some days my neighbours have water while others don’t have, and we don’t know what causes it.”

Sybrandt de Beer, a DA ward councillor in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality (BPM), told the Herald that most residents have been struggling with water supply in recent weeks. He says the lack or low pressure of supply started ten days before the weekend’s fire and residents in high-lying areas have not had any supply at all.

Also read: Mopani fails to collect water revenue-DA

Despite the complaints by residents, the LNW and MDM maintain that there is no water shedding in the region. “In adhering to its mandate, LNW remains committed to delivering the specified bulk water volumes as stipulated in existing contracts entered into with water services authorities within its area of operation across Limpopo,” explains Yolande Nel, spokeswoman at LNW.

BPM spokesman, Jonas Mahesu, says that the municipal technical team switched the pumps off this past Sunday, and they were switched back on again on Monday contributing to the low pressure. He also adds that an illegal connection extension in Lulekani slowed supply down. After the fire on Saturday, residents expressed their frustrations with the town’s low water pressure on social media. It was alleged that with sufficient pressure some houses could have been saved.