St Lucia village water woes continue
Khula Village residents have not had water since June.
PHOTOS: TAMLYN JOLLY
COMMUNITIES in Khula Village near St Lucia say they are suffering at the hands of the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, which has allegedly not supplied them with water since June.
While some households in Khula Village receive intermittent water supply, as do KwaMsane, Mtubatuba, Dukuduku and St Lucia, the protesting residents say they have had no running water for seven months.
Khula Village Ward Councillor Sya Khumalo says he has reported the problem to uMkhanyakude District Municipality many times in recent months, but the problem persists.
Jeff Vilane, uMkhanyakude District Mayor, visited residents in mid-December and promised to rectify the issue. Two months later, nothing has changed.
The 2011 census recorded 15 497 Khula residents, which may have since increased, and new building projects are on the cards.
‘How can people build new houses when they don’t get water?’ asked Khumalo.
Unconfirmed reports state a water connection in Khula was closed during last year’s water crisis and has not been re-opened.
As a result, the affected residents are forced to walk kilometres to the nearest dam and collect untreated, possibly unhygienic water.
