The ongoing water outages in iLembe district have sparked frustration among residents, who are increasingly dismissing the municipality’s frequent updates as “cooked lies.”

Numerous areas have experienced prolonged water shortages, which the municipality attributes to multiple factors, including a lightning strike that disabled a reservoir generator, necessary pump repairs, and low water levels in the uMngeni-uThukela supply system. As of October 29, the district reported that water levels were at just 23%, stating distribution could only resume once they reached 35%. Further complicating the situation, the municipality announced planned interruptions for valve replacements in several wards in KwaDukuza.

However, residents are losing patience with what they consider inconsistent explanations. Many have experienced their own version of a “day zero” scenario. In Melville, for example, some areas have endured almost a year of dry taps, leaving residents to adapt to a new reality.

“I have not seen water in months,” said a 25-year-old resident of Melville. “We get water tankers once a week, sometimes less.”

Mphathwenhle Mngadi, from New Guelderland near Prince’s Grant, described similar struggles, with water outages persisting from early September to October.

“We relied on tankers for a while, but then had to buy water and fetch it from nearby places,” he said.

However, not everyone in his community has the luxury of purchasing water, as many are unable to afford the added costs.

Despite repeated inquiries to the iLembe municipality, Mngadi received no replies and only saw water restored at the end of October. He added that while the water returned, he did not believe it was safe to drink.

“It’s not safe, but we’ve learned to live with it,” he said.

Local leaders are increasingly demanding action. Democratic Alliance councillor Krsna Sing stressed the need for a reliable water supply, saying, “Reliable water services are a basic human right.

We cannot accept further delays.” Meanwhile, residents of Blythedale have also been struggling with a major water crisis, due to a leak in the supply line from the Lower Tugela water scheme.

On November 8, the municipality assured residents on social media that efforts to repair the pipeline were underway.

While some areas have seen temporary relief, many are still waiting for a permanent solution to the water crisis. The iLembe municipality had not responded to the Courier at the time of publication.

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