A Riverlea Extension family has gone without running water for almost five months. The woman of the house explained their exhausting situation.

Denise Karelse has been living in the very same house for over 17 years with her husband and three children.

Karelse explained that in February she went to a hospital with her husband for his monthly check-up and when they returned home they found a letter underneath their door stating that Johannesburg Water would be cutting their water supply.

She saw that the letter was addressed to their next door neighbour who she delivered it to.

“When my son came from school, he went to drink some water and came back saying that there was no water. The next day I took the last bread money to go to Braamfontein just to get nothing,” said Karelse.

When they got to Braamfontein they sent them from one section to the next but this did not solve their problem. Instead, they were told to pay 10 percent of the water bill.

Karelse added, “Here’s the receipt I paid the 10 per cent and then he told me to make a new connection which would cost R7000.

They disconnected the entire meter, everything is out. So I asked him, I haven’t even got taxi fare to go home how am I going to pay R7000? Right now, we are living on a pension of R1600.”

Since February, the family has been asking neighbours to give them water.

It’s going on five months with no running water. Karelse said that the neighbours are getting tired and that they are now saying that they are paying their money so it’s unfair to them too.

The family does not have money to pay the neighbours for the buckets of water that they ask for.

“Look at my washing, it’s piled up. I must just wash this shirt every day in my wash water, I wash my husband’s shirt and I wash his pants just so that he can be neat and tidy,” said Karelse.

The family washes in as little as 2 litres of water, the very same water in which they wash in. They also have to use it for the toilet as well.

“When last did I have a bath? Why is this happening to us?” she asked in tears.

According to Karelse, last month a man named Charles from the water board came to see them and said that they thought that this whole place was the addressed person’s property (next door neighbour), and he said that they would fix it.

When she called the number on the notice, and officials said that they do not know a Charles, however, he told Karelse that he was from the Joburg Water Depot in Southhills and he signed on the notice as the designated officer.

Councillor Basil Douglas was contacted by Karelse and he wrote a letter to the Water Depot in Langlaagte.

“We went there and they said that they can’t reinstall the meter because that would be as if we bribing them, we have to go through the council. I’m really tired of all this, you can’t do anything without water,” said Karelse.

She is also frustrated with the councillor who she alleges did not even come look at the conditions the family is subjected to as a result of having their water supply cut.

In response, the councillor said, “Mmusi’s position is clear and I quote; cutting of water is criminal and I support my leader Maimane and I’ll fight for this family.”

A day after the article was published Douglas said: “I tried everything to assist those residents but it seems my plight is falling on deaf officials ears, I even emailed a senior manager who demanded R3000 for a new meter it’s so frustrating and unfortunately Councillors can only escalate and not instruct officials that will lead us appearing before ethics for meddling.

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