Rains leave residents without water

The persistent rain led to blockages in the Umjindi Local Municipality’s water purification system and left residents without water, some for several days.

By Monday afternoon supply had not been fully restored yet in sections like Ext 13 and 14 in Emjindini.

Sam Jele, Umjindi spokesman, said on Monday technicians were working around the clock in an effort to restore supply. He said the shortage was caused by the unusual heavy rain over the past few days. “The Rimer’s Creek Water Treatment Works was seriously damaged by debris that had washed down the creek. This caused a blockage in the main purification system, which resulted in the interruption of water supply. Council is however working hard to ensure that the crisis is resolved as soon as possible,” said Jele.

He wouldn’t say, though, how long it would take. The shortages began on Tuesday. After supply was restored in Barberton, Emjindini residents were left without water on Wednesday morning.

Residents were severely affected as many workers and schoolgoing children stayed at home because they were unable to have a bath. By Wednesday afternoon, council sent water tankers to service the various sections.

Street hawkers claim that the water problem is costing them money. Gogo LaMotsa of Graveville in Emjindini, who was found by the Barberton Times reporter wandering the streets of Ext 14 with an empty bucket container in search of water, said she survived by selling maize porridge. “Yesterday (Tuesday) my grandchildren only ate bread because there was no water to cook. I’m selling maize on the streets and having no water means that I won’t sell any today,” she said.

Theo Maziya and Bandile Masango are grade 11 learners of KaMhola High School in Emjindini. “Today (Wednesday) we are writing siSwati and Maths tests. We can’t go to school without bathing,” they said.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance in Umjindi has accused the ANC of sabotage when they tried to assist the community during the crisis.

Local DA councillors and volunteers took the initiative and spearheaded a joint effort to provide Umjindi residents with water.

On Thursday morning the party had managed to secure water tanks, vehicles and fuel donations from various sources, and started delivering water to the affected areas.

However, Phillip Minnaar of the DA alleged the trucks were barred from doing so. “The mayor (Lazarus Mashaba) and speaker (Vusi Mkhatshwa) said this was not the councillors’ problem but that of the council. We found this strange. We supplied water out of goodwill and it does not matter what party a person belong to when he fills his container. We assist everyone,’ said Minnaar.

According to Cllr Elsabe Jacobs of the DA, the three sponsored DA vehicles managed to deliver close to 30 000 litres of water over the three days. “It is clear that the Umjindi Local Municipality is incapable to deal with a large-scale emergency. By preventing teams from repairing the water lines and through its failure to regularly maintain its fleet of water tankers council was helpless to assist residents.

Had it not been for the DA, the goodwill of the private sector and residents from other areas, thousands of people would have been left without water for days,” she said.