A large group of protesters demanded service delivery by claiming to submit a memorandum of urgent demands to municipal offices in Bronkhorstspruit on Monday, May 16.
The disgruntled protesters comprised mostly of residents from Zithobeni who marched through Lanham Street in Bronkhorstspruit and burned tyres to show their dismay with the water quality in the area.
They claimed the water is contaminated.
Looting of some shops was also reported.
A notice of the protest action was sent out on social media before the march, warning businesses not to operate on that day.
In this message, the organisers claimed the water the City of Tshwane is supplying to residents in the Bronkhorstspruit area, is “untreated water which is directly contaminated by raw sewage” and has “caused critical illnesses to people”.
“We can no longer tolerate this,” said one of the organisers.
The outrage was sparked when residents were confronted with dirty, smelly water on May 9.
Lida Erasmus, a DA activist in Bronkhorstspruit, reported this problem to the regional manager, Jabu Mabena.
Community member and former municipal councillor, Cecilia Knox, said the technical aspects of the water and sewerage reticulation works are entirely at the mercy of the DA coalition in the City of Tshwane.
“Our local officials have no powers.
“They were stripped of all power and are reliant on instructions from CoT.
“All infrastructure is maintained by either CoT officials or outside contractors. As with the raw, clean and dirty water pumps, a single contractor is responsible (WTSA),” added Knox.
The coalition agreement notes the following as one of its objectives: “The parties to the agreement will work to ensure that every community has access to reliable, clean, running water, that is safe to drink and to prepare food”.
A woman from Bronkhorstspruit, Tshidy Kekana Manganye, posted on Facebook that her child was admitted to the Medforum Private Hospital last week.
In her online post, she claimed her child was ill because of the water in Bronkhorstspruit.
Manganye wrote: “Kids are sick from school… They start by having a headache the next thing diarrhoea and dehydration.”
Streeknuus tried to contact Manganye, but she could not be reached at the time of going to press and it could not be confirmed of the child’s illness was indeed related to the water.
The City of Tshwane said in a media statement they are aware of the concerns raised about the water quality and that they immediately sent their water and sanitation teams to check the system and conduct test on the quality of water coming out of the supply system.
They said their repair teams have already fixed problems in sewage reticulation systems in Verster Park and Lanham while conducting water quality tests in Bronkhorstspruit, Zithobeni and Rethabiseng.
In this media statement, MCC Daryl Johnston stated that the initial testing shows the water is clear and that more samples are being tested.
“The good news is that preliminary testing shows no E.coli has been detected.
“Once we have the final results, an informed decision will then be made particularly if it is found that the water quality does not meet required standards.”
Johnston concluded by saying that the matter is being closely monitored and the community will be regularly updated.
