Utrecht: Children sent home due to water shortage

Grade 1 and Grade R pupils of the Utrecht Primary School have been sent home due to a water shortage, which has left the school without water for two days.

The pupils who were sent home all stay in an area called White City, which is close to the school. Other pupils who stay further away must wait for transport at the end of the school day.

Some areas of Utrecht have been without electricity and water since Sunday afternoon. According to reports an electrical cable fault was repaired, and upon switching on electricity supply, another section of the line shorted. It is believed water was cut to allow access to the faulty area of the cable.

A Tweet from Chris Fourie, Provincial Coordinator of AfriForum, alerted media to the situation at Utrecht Primary:

Utrecht Primary send kids home, 2nd day in a row no water. Amajuba municipality fail to provide water tankers. @nnadv @vryheidherald

— Chris Fourie (@chris_fourie) August 12, 2014

It is believed the principal has contacted Amajuba District Municipality to send water tankers to refill the water tanks at the school. According to sources, the municipality has yet to send the much needed water.

According to further sources, the escalating water and electricity supply in the Utrecht area, Emadlangeni Municipality, is due to alleged ‘mismanagement’ and lack of maintenance to the infrastructure.

One resident lamented the fact that even after electricity is restored, it would take another three to six hours before the water would be clean enough to be pumped to homes and schools.

More updates will follow as the story unfolds.