Residents demand answers after Newcastle water shutdown
A delay in the completion of emergency maintenance meant that water supply would not be restored on time.
“Newcastle residents, especially the 3700 people who signed the water crisis petition, deserve answers from Newcastle Municipality,” says Johan Pieters, chairman of the Newcastle Growth Coalition.
This follows Tuesday’s (November 10) announcement by the municipality that Newcastle West’s water supply would once again be completely shut off for 24 hours in order to conduct emergency maintenance at the Showground Water Works.
The shutdown period was to start on November 11 at 08:00 until November 12 at 03:00.
However, this morning (November 12), residents woke up to an update informing them that there had been a delay in the completion of the emergency maintenance of water infrastructure. As a result, the municipality said their water supply would not be restored on time, as previously communicated.
“The contractor and team are still on site, working tirelessly to complete the repairs as soon as possible,” said the municipality.
Petition remains unanswered as patience runs out
More than two weeks after a petition was submitted to the municipality on October 26, Pieters says they have yet to receive an official response.
The announcement on Tuesday of another water shutdown, according to Pieters, shocked the Newcastle West community.
“The municipality has repeatedly failed to resolve water problems within its stated timelines,” he said.
He continued that, “The community’s patience has run out.”
These repeated failures, according to Pieters, demonstrates that the municipality lacks the expertise needed to resolve the problem.
“CoGTA must now intervene,” he said.
Community demands investigation and clear plan
He further stated that the Newcastle West community wants answers and is now demanding the following:
- A full investigation by an independent contractor into the delay in restoring water.
- A joint plan from Newcastle Municipality and CoGTA to ensure that qualified, experienced contractors carry out work on water pipelines and pumps.
- A response to the petition.
“The municipality’s disregard for the community is unacceptable and must be addressed urgently. Residents want water restored to their taps, a clear plan for the way forward, and answers to their concerns,” Pieters concluded.
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