Democratic Alliance (DA) KZN leader Sithembiso Ngema has called on the IFP-led uThukela District Municipality to urgently address ongoing water shortages affecting communities across the district.

Following engagements with residents in Estcourt, Emahashini, eWembezi and KwaHlathikhulu over the weekend, Ngema said communities are frustrated by unreliable water supplies and want government to address the basic failures affecting their daily lives.

According to Ngema, residents are not asking for special treatment but for government to ensure that taps work, infrastructure is maintained and public funds are properly accounted for.

Ngema said the party would continue putting political pressure on the municipality, rather than pleading with government to provide what residents are entitled to receive as a basic municipal service.

Concerns over ongoing water failures

The KZN DA leader pointed to a formal intervention announced by KZN CoGTA in August 2025, following concerns about uThukela’s capacity to fulfil its water and sanitation responsibilities.

The DA said a due diligence assessment had found the municipality’s water infrastructure to be in an unsatisfactory condition, with inadequate maintenance and vandalism identified as contributing factors.

Despite the intervention, the DA says communities continue to experience prolonged interruptions.

In the past few weeks, from August 7, Ladysmith residents were also affected by prolonged water interruptions, with the municipality saying this was due to silt at the Ezakheni Water Works.

The water shortages led to the closure of the district Education Department offices and some schools in the Ladysmith area.

DA questions water tanker spending

The DA is also calling for greater transparency over the municipality’s use of water tankers.

Ngema said residents should be given information about how much is being spent on tanker services; who is benefiting from the contracts; and why emergency water provision remains necessary on an ongoing basis.

While acknowledging that tankers can provide temporary relief during water outages, he argued that they should not become a permanent replacement for functioning infrastructure.

The party has pledged to continue applying political pressure on uThukela until residents receive a reliable water supply.

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