With reservoirs near empty and residents using contaminated water, the community demands Rand Water restore full supply within days.
The Greater Fochville water crisis committee vows to continue with the fight to compel the authorities to restore the water supply in different areas within the Merafong city municipality on the West Rand of Gauteng.
Areas within the municipality have been without water for eight months as the authority owes Rand Water R1.4 billion, which led to the water being switched off.
Some of the most affected areas, which have been without water for eight months, include Fochville, Greenspark and Kokosi.
The situation got so bad that some schools were last week forced to release the children early as there was no water.
Fochville residents protest eight months without water
A few days ago, the residents took their empty buckets, piled into 20 minibus taxis and went to Rand Water offices in Glenvista, Johannesburg, to protest and hand over a memorandum.
“We, the Greater Fochville water crisis committee, remain committed to fighting for the rights of our people and holding those responsible accountable.
“Our struggle continues until water is restored and service delivery is prioritised,” said Elliot Mthembu, a committee member.
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The residents demanded that the water supply should be restored fully while the municipality and Rand Water continue trying to find a permanent solution.
“The primary reason we are here is because our municipality has failed to fulfil its constitutional mandate. Perhaps Rand Water, as the bulk supplier, would heed our call.
“While the municipality engages in legal warfare, our people face a daily battle for survival. The situation has deteriorated from a service delivery failure to a full-blown public health emergency,” read the memorandum.
“Our reservoirs remain at critically low levels, confirming the absolute failure of the municipality’s so-called relief measures.
Residents drawing water from manholes and contaminated streams
“Desperate residents are now forced to draw water from sewage-infested manholes and contaminated streams.
“This is a national disgrace and exposes our children, the elderly and the sick to life-threatening diseases like cholera.
“The municipality’s inaction is directly creating the conditions for an epidemic.”
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The protesters demanded that Rand Water, in collaboration with the provincial Treasury and National Treasury, immediately restore water levels to 100% capacity, while the community, other stakeholders and government resolve the current stalemate.
“We demand that the same special purpose vehicle adopted for Emfuleni municipality be adopted for Merafong.
“We demand a direct supply of water to consumers within seven days. We demand that Rand Water directly supply water to the residents, as was done prior to the bulk water supply agreement.”
Rand Water representative Mbuyiswa Makhubela received the memorandum of grievances and promised to respond within seven days.
Issued dynamic
He said: “The issues here are very dynamic, but they are solvable if there is the will to do so. The money owed escalated while we were engaging with the municipality. We are continuing to negotiate to try to find a solution.
“The issue here is to meet the current account and let us deal with the R1.4 billion. This means we give you water, you pay for it and deal with the issue of how to settle the outstanding debts.”
A community leader suggested Rand Water must attach the assets belonging to the municipality.
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