WATCH: Countless litres of water down the drain in Scottburgh as Ugu workers strike
Suspecting possible acts of sabotage, Ugu has engaged with various law enforcement agencies in order to protect municipal infrastructure.
QUITE possibly, more than one million litres of water will have gone completely to waste by today (Wednesday) as Ugu District Municipality prepares itself for yet another ‘imminent service interruption’.
On Monday afternoon, Ugu officially confirmed that it was expecting workers to go on strike following the implementation of a ‘no work, no pay’ rule.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Which areas are affected by the water crisis?
However, it would appear that strike action had already commenced over the weekend, when reports surfaced claiming that Ugu employees had been locked out of their offices and that vehicles could not be accessed.
This resulted in burst pipes not being repaired, leaving a large majority of mid-South Coast residents without water for much of the weekend – this has since continued into the new week, affecting more residents.
Consumers are now asking why they should be left to bear the brunt of the strike when the employees concerned should just have been fired to begin with.
Meanwhile, as Ugu attempts to set its house in order, the infamous ‘Scottburgh Falls’ has reappeared.
On Sunday, a large water pipe attached to the Scottburgh railway bridge near the main beach ‘burst’, spewing countless litres of fresh, drinkable water into the Mpambanyoni River.
According to a resident, the matter was reported to Ugu’s Park Rynie offices. Despite efforts by the Mail to validate this claim, Ugu is yet to confirm.
Following a failure to establish connection with Ugu, an email was sent to head of communications, France Zama, who said, on Monday at 11.32pm, that the matter had been relayed to the technical department for urgent attention.
However, no repairs had been made as yet, resulting in further incalculable waste. In addition, another pipe burst during the weekend in Marion Avenue.
On the subject of the striking workers, Mr Zama added: “The municipality views this action by workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) as a blatant disregard of the constitutional right of communities to provision of water and sanitation services. We have identified that certain areas are currently being affected with water disruptions.”
Suspecting possible acts of sabotage, the municipality has engaged with various law enforcement agencies in order to protect municipal infrastructure.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
