DEAR Editor:
The residents of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast have again had to suffer through the incompetency of the Ugu District Municipality.
For the third time in five years they have endured salt water in their pipes and then faced water outages once the problem was realised.
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It is only now that water is finally returning to Hibberdene, Woodgrange-on-Sea and Ramsgate South after almost two weeks.
The promised water tankers have not followed a schedule, nor were their routes communicated to affected ward councillors.
All this in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic when water for hygiene purposes is life-saving.
DA ward councillors have tried their utmost to keep communities informed. However, they have faced massive delays in getting correct updates from municipal officials and political leaders.
Again, the salt water crisis is blamed on sea water ingress up the Umzimkhulu River to the St Helen’s Rock extraction point.
Further investigations show that the current temporary berm across the river, meant to prevent this ingress, has not been maintained resulting in it becoming ineffective.
After years of DA pressure on the Provincial government, the Ugu District Municipality has been allocated R2,7 million for the construction of a new berm.
Ultimately, the residents of the Ugu District Municipality have been abandoned by Premier Sihle Zikalala and his MEC of Cogta, Sipho Hlomuka.
Despite numerous calls for interventions and a permanent solution, they have failed to provide any political will or leadership.
Instead, they have deflected calls for meetings and succumbed to the politics of their own ANC Lower South Coast Region.
The party continues its call for Ugu’s bulk water services in the Ray Nkonyeni and Umuziwabantu Municipalities be transferred to the more competent Umgeni Water.
The only permanent solution for the residents of the Ugu District Municipality would be a change in the political leadership.
In the 2021 Local Government Elections, it will be up to voters whether they continue with the water outage status quo or vote for a competent government.
As the Democratic Alliance, we will continue to fight to ensure all residents have safe and reliable water supply.
DR RISHIGEN VIRANNA, MPL
DA Ugu South Constituency Head
(Letter shortened)
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