Water tank drivers continue demanding money to fill up tanks

Residents of Kanana in Skierlik in the far east of Mamelodi had to spend the whole weekend without water.

Just like residents of Retshwenyegile informal settlement, they claimed the problem was that water tanker drivers did not fill up the communal water tanks in the area as they should.

They accused the drivers of demanding R150 to fill up privately owned tanks and those who were able to afford were able to quench their thirst for water over the weekend.

Resident, Lebo Mahlangu said: “We are still going to suffer for a very long time… proper service delivery is not coming any time soon.”

She said the tanks are here to stay because those who supply them and “people in high places benefit from the scheme”.

“Everyone – Tshwane metro, contractors and the ward councillor – is failing us because when we can talk or complain about service delivery, all they do is make empty promises,” said Mahlangu.

“The tanker drivers are doing it for the money, not for the people to have water. It’s an opportunity to make extra cash.

“They also fill up the tanks belonging to their girlfriends and family members mostly at night,” she claimed.

“The contractors are eating with people in high positions and at the end of the month they share money and they don’t care if we had water or not.

“Majority of people staying in informal settlement areas are unemployed and can’t afford to buy water for R150.”

Another resident, Sphiwe Khoza said the metro should give the water supply contracts to locals, not people in the suburbs.

“The previous contractor cared about people of Skierlik and made sure we have water every day and the mobile toilets are cleaned,” said Khoza.

“With the new contractor, we are struggling to get water and after just two months we are already suffering.

“We must pay for water which we are supposed to get for free.”

Recently, a couple in Retshwenyegile informal settlement lost their shack to a fire and residents claimed they could have put the fire out on time had the tanker drivers filled up the tanks as they were supposed to.

The couple narrowly escaped death and were hospitalised for smoke inhalation.

The metro had yet to comment at the time of going to press.

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