WATCH: Sakhile residents struggle amid water crisis during treatment plant refurbishment
Gert Sibande District Municipality Mayor, Walter Mngomezulu, said the refurbishment of the water treatment plant was long overdue, as the facility had not been properly maintained for decades.
Residents of Sakhile township in the Lekwa Municipality say the ongoing water crisis, following the refurbishment of the Standerton water treatment plant, has severely affected their daily lives.
The refurbishment project resumed last month and has resulted in partial water shutdowns to allow contractors to carry out various activities, including excavation and blasting.
According to officials, the shutdowns are necessary to allow the upgrade work to continue, but residents say the interruptions have made it difficult to access water for basic household needs.
Gert Sibande District Municipality Mayor, Walter Mngomezulu, told the media that the refurbishment of the water treatment plant was long overdue, as the facility had not been properly maintained for decades.
“This plant was last maintained in 1986, and it has been struggling to supply water to our communities,” said Mngomezulu.
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He said the district municipality is working closely with the Department of Water and Sanitation to ensure that the project progresses smoothly.
“Working together with the Department of Water and Sanitation, we are happy with the progress of the project. Every two days I hold a water war room meeting to monitor the progress,” he said.
Mngomezulu added that he has requested the municipality to improve communication with residents regarding the water shutdowns.
“I also requested the municipality to intensify communication with the community, and the municipality is using its ten water tankers to supply water,” he said.
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Mngomezulu said Lekwa and Govan Mbeki municipalities are among those that have recently faced water supply challenges.
“In the Govan Mbeki Municipality, the challenge was with Rand Water, which had its own water supply issues in Gauteng, affecting the Govan Mbeki Municipality. Some areas, including Bethal and eMzinoni, were struggling to get water while the municipality is accurately servicing its account with Rand Water,” said Mngomezulu.
Mngomezulu also said they are planning to build a water treatment plant in the Bethal area within Govan Mbeki Municipality, as they have identified a dam from which they can abstract water.
Mngomezulu said they anticipate that the refurbishment project in Standerton will be fully completed by the end of March.
@ridgetimesnews WATER CRISIS: Residents in Ext 4, Rooikoppen, (Sakhile) are frustrated with the current water outage. #govanmbeki #lekwa #Standerton
@ridgetimesnews People march back to Trichardt. Protestors marched from Trichardt the Sasol Junction filling station and are now making their way back to Trichardt. #Secunda #Bethal #govanmbeki
@ridgetimesnews Peaceful march takes off. People are now peacefully marching from Trichardt to the bridge. Roads are open and the police are escorting the marchers. #Secunda #Bethal #govanmbeki
@ridgetimesnews WATER CRISIS: Residents gather at Govan Mbeki Municipality. #Secunda #Bethal #govanmbeki
