City residents ‘need boats’

FLORIANVILLE residents have not been able to bath or shower and many haven’t been to work or school due to the burst water pipes in Community Road.

Residents staged another protest yesterday, where the road was blocked with burning tyres and stones.

“The council only attends to our grievances when we resort to burning. For several months we have not complained about our intolerable living conditions but we cannot allow it to continue in this fashion any longer,” the residents said.

They added that their yards were still flooded after the municipality dumped sand and stones on the ground in an attempt to absorb the excess water.

“The water flows around the stones. We need to make use of a boat to get outside, which is why we just stay indoors. There is no water pressure so the geysers are not functioning and there are up to three water cuts per day. The drains are blocked, so the water is not draining.”

Residents said that the municipality had promised to bring in a contractor on Monday to look into the problem.

Elected

“They told us that we have to work through the ward councillor but he is never available. We do not even know what he looks like as he has not visited the area since he was elected.”

Sol Plaatje Municipality office manager, George Mosimane, stated that they were in the process of securing a service provider to replace the asbestos pipe, which was prone to bursting, especially during the winter months.

“This matter is being treated as urgent and will be budgeted for in the first quarter of the new financial year that starts on July 1,” said Mosimane.

He added that an engineer would be brought in to assess the extent of the problem.