Residents of Emgwenya, formerly known as Waterval Boven, are at a breaking point, demanding urgent intervention from Emakhazeni Local Municipality (ELM) and the provincial government as a severe service delivery crisis cripples the area.

Fed up with the deteriorating state of their towns and rural communities, residents say they are gatvol with persistent issues, ranging from dirty, hazardous tap water and inconsistent electricity supply, to an explosion of potholes and uncollected refuse that has left the area filthy.

Some electricity cables are hanging in trees, while others lie on the ground, posing a danger to residents, especially children.

According to multiple residents, attempts to engage the municipality on these critical issues have been met with silence.

They allege their concerns are “falling on deaf ears,” despite numerous efforts to communicate the severity of the situation.

“Whenever we try to contact the municipality to fix the problem, we are ignored and neglected. The streets are littered with debris due to the lack of refuse collection, while visible water leakages further exacerbate the decay,” they said.

Residents say their efforts to see the once-famous town “restored to its former glory” have been completely disregarded.

The frustration is palpable, with citizens feeling abandoned by the very government they elected.

Steven Groenewald described the dire situation: “The old famous town has deteriorated, and no one seems to care. The entire town is rotten. We do not have stable electricity as it keeps tripping, leaving the area in the dark for hours. Driving on the streets is a ‘mission impossible’ due to potholes that are not being fixed.”

He added that the area has become so dysfunctional that residents feel disconnected from any municipality. Groenewald made a direct plea for assistance: “We are seeking any assistance from the provincial government to intervene.”

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For Sello Ntuli, the crisis is a profound betrayal. He said the area is being “rejected by their own local government – from the ward councillors to the mayor – because when we need them most, they are nowhere to be found.”

Ntuli said the most immediate and frightening concern is the water supply. “We are staying in a decaying town where everything is dysfunctional. The water is a health hazard and no one seems to care. We are forced to drink dirty water, which violates basic human rights. Nothing works in Emgwenya; we have a municipality that is neglecting its people,” he said.

The level of desperation is palpable, with Ntuli noting: “I am gatvol about the situation because even a protest did not resolve the matter. The municipality is not even communicating with us.”

The collective voice of the residents is now a desperate call for intervention. They are appealing directly to the mayor and the provincial government to step in for the sake of the people who have nowhere else to go – the town is their only home.

ELM spokesperson Kit Nkosi said the municipality is aware of the issues raised by residents.

He explained that the water’s discoloration does not necessarily indicate contamination but is often caused by operational challenges within the reticulation network, such as pipe bursts or temporary increases in turbidity, especially after rainfall.

“Routine water quality testing is conducted in line with SANS 241:2015 Drinking Water Quality Standards. Samples are collected monthly and submitted to SANAS-accredited laboratories for analysis. Recent test results show that water quality across Emgwenya remains within acceptable limits for human consumption,” Nkosi said.

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Nkosi said the municipality acknowledges the concerns raised by community members regarding the reliability and stability of the electricity supply in Emgwenya.

“Key factors contributing to the ongoing power interruptions and instability include illegal connections, electricity theft, meter tampering, and vandalism of electrical infrastructure. The municipality is currently developing an electricity master plan with support from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. This strategic plan will provide a comprehensive assessment of the existing electrical network, identify priority upgrade projects, and assist the municipality in mobilising funding for infrastructure refurbishment and upgrades,” Nkosi said.

Nkosi added that the municipality has procured a cable detector machine and trained electricians to use it. This intervention has significantly improved fault detection efficiency, reducing the turnaround time for locating and repairing underground electrical faults.

Regarding refuse collection, he said waste is collected five times a week according to schedule, covering five different sections of Emgwenya. Main waste receptacles have also been placed at strategic points along the main road entering the town, where residents can leave refuse bags if they miss the scheduled collection or if the service is delayed.

“However, challenges such as truck breakdowns sometimes affect service delivery. The uncollected refuse bags seen on social media were a result of one of these breakdowns,” Nkosi explained.

Nkosi also said the municipality acknowledges the deteriorating road infrastructure, which is largely due to financial constraints. He explained that the municipality relies primarily on its own revenue collection for road maintenance; however, the available resources are insufficient to address the full extent of infrastructure backlogs.

“A collaborative partnership has been established with Sanral for the maintenance of national roads that pass through the municipality, while the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport assists through regular pothole patching. This includes providing a jet patcher and road maintenance materials to accelerate rehabilitation efforts.

“The municipality has implemented several interventions to address the aging road infrastructure, including allocating R15m for the reconstruction of road and stormwater infrastructure in the Slahla section of Emgwenya. Pothole patching was completed in 1st Avenue in July, and in 3rd Avenue during August,” Nkosi said.