Protestors demand water issue solution for residents in Rethabiseng and Ekangala
People in areas surrounding Bronkhorstspruit are tired of tankers and want their water to again flow from their taps.
A large group of protestors submitted a memorandum of urgent demands on service delivery to the municipal offices in Bronkhorstspruit on March 4 and 5.
About 200 residents gathered in front of the municipality building, demanding answers. The R568 was also affected between Ekangala and Rethabiseng.
Protesters packed the roads with rocks and burnt tyres. The disgruntled protestors were mostly residents from Rethabiseng and Ekangala, who marched through Lanham Street in Bronkhorstspruit.
A notice of the protest action was sent out on social media before the march, warning businesses not to operate on that day.
In that message, the organisers claimed that the City of Tshwane was only supplying water to residents of Bronkhorstspruit and Zithobeni and not to Rethabiseng and Ekangala.
“We can no longer tolerate this,” said one of the organisers.
The problem was reported weeks ago to the regional manager of Region 7, Jabu Mabona. MMC Ziyanda Zwane addressed the protestors and eventually had to be escorted away by the Metro and SAPS.
Streeknuus spoke to some marchers. They claim that since last October, residents either did not have water or the water was not clean. They also said the continued water issue is making their children ill.
Phumzile Nkumane, the chief executive officer of the Bronkhorstspruit Hospital, was contacted and asked about the water that comes out of the taps and how it affects the community.
“The hospital does, at times, experience tap water of poor quality,” she admitted.
Nkumane said clean water is essential for the patients, visitors and staff.
“We struggle to keep the hospital clean, do laundry, clean kitchen utensils, and prepare food for patients. We need clean water to clean and sterilise equipment.”
Nkumane said water for consumption is collected from the Bronkhorstspruit EMS department.
“Time is wasted when porters must move between the hospital and EMS to collect clean water. Clinicians get frustrated having to bath patients with water of poor quality.”
Schools in areas surrounding Bronkhorstspruit are not operational due to the water crisis. Residents from Rethabiseng said they had recently received new RDP houses.
They cannot flush the waterborne toilets in their homes because they have to use the water sparingly. The protestors said on Tuesday, at the time of going to print, that they would not stop protesting until the crisis is resolved.
