Residents of Ezinambeni are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases as they rely on potentially contaminated water.
A child fills his water bottle from a drainpipe in Hlalanikahle, in eMalahleni local municipality recently. Picture: Shaun Holland
Residents of township in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, risk contracting waterborne diseases as they are forced to rely on potentially contaminated water amid a prolonged water crisis.
Residents said they had been without a reliable water supply for years and were forced to collect water from small pipes beneath the road drainage system.
Ezinambeni residents without reliable water supply for years
When The Citizen visited the area, more than 20 people had gathered around a water tanker delivering water to the community.
Community members complained that water tankers did not arrive consistently, forcing them to rely on underground pipes whose water source they could not verify.
“This truck comes here sometimes so, in most cases, we draw water from the small pipes we found underground,” said a resident who asked not to be named.
“We are not even sure where the water comes from.
“We have been without water for so many years.”
The resident blamed the crisis on contractors the municipality hired to install bulk water pipelines, saying repeated attempts to install the infrastructure failed.
Crisis blamed on contractors
Municipal spokesperson Lebogang Mofokeng was not available for comment.
“That is why we are digging to try to connect the pipes ourselves as community members,” the resident said.
Schoolchildren, some as young as five, and adults were seen drinking and collecting water from under the road. One man said he had used the water for years.
Traditional leader Ikosi Ndabezitha Nsizwa Mahlangu of the Mrhejha Royal House confirmed that several areas around eMalahleni were experiencing water shortages.
Mahlangu told residents to scrutinise political parties’ track records and use their local elections votes to demand better services.
He said communities continued to face water shortages, deteriorating roads and unemployment, despite years of promises.
Traditional leader urges residents to scrutinise political parties’ track records
“One of the most important rights is having water,” he said.
He asked why councillors could serve five-year terms without making meaningful improvements to local infrastructure.
“People must not just vote for those who are making noise. They must look at a person’s background and ask what that person is capable of doing,” he said.
Mahlangu encouraged young people to participate in elections and hold political leaders accountable.
He also called for greater recognition of traditional leadership in urban areas and stronger cooperation between mining companies, traditional authorities and local government to address unemployment.
Mahlangu alleged that some community forums obstructed progress by controlling access to employment opportunities linked to mining.
Call for transparent recruitment processes
According to Mahlangu, some individuals used these structures to demand money from jobseekers in exchange for access to employment. He called for transparent recruitment processes.
Meanwhile, ActionSA’s mayoral candidate for Nkangala district municipality Mary Padi cited poor financial management, crime and inadequate infrastructure maintenance as challenges undermining service delivery.
Padi, who is also an ActionSA campaigner in Mpumalanga, said the district continued to experience service delivery problems, despite its coal reserves and proximity to power stations.
She raised concerns about the municipality’s audit outcomes over the past five years, saying persistent negative results pointed to serious financial management challenges.
“Corruption and alleged overpayment of service providers are undermining municipalities’ ability to deliver services,” she said.
