‘Muddy water flowing out taps’
RESIDENTS of Madibeng Local Municipality, which was implicated in the VBS bank looting scandal, have had muddy water running out of its taps over the past few months.
Although there had been water problems for more than 10 years, residents said that on some days it would appear clean, but had a bad taste.
Over the past few weeks, disgruntled residents have taken to social media to voice their frustration. The council covers Brits in North West.
In the footage, containers are placed under open taps out of which muddy water flows. Several people, including a toddler, were killed during violent water protests in various areas in the municipality in recent times.
Thabang Ditiro, from Mothotlung, said: “I have been admitted to hospital for drinking the water. It is not healthy at all. Water is life, but the municipality keeps supplying us with dirty water. It just shows you that they do not care about people’s lives.
“I have to buy water all the time. The municipality is killing us.”
Another resident, Katlego Sekati, said there was a local shop that sold five litres of water for R6, while others sold it for R15. “I harvest rainwater and use it to drink and cook. When it doesn’t rain for long periods, I have to buy water. If the municipality says they have cleaned the reservoirs, the water just looks clean but has a bad taste. One can only see the cleanliness for up to five hours, and after that it is back to muddy,” Sekati said.
Municipal spokesperson Tumelo Tshabalala said turbid water was caused by “accumulation of sludge sediments in our reservoirs”.
“Due to reservoirs’ levels dropping, the water reaches the sediment level and then the turbid supply gets into the system and reaches households. In curbing the problem, we have embarked on the cleaning of reservoirs, which commenced last week wherein we cleaned reservoirs in Mothotlung, Damonsville and Letlhabile.
“We will continue to clean all our reservoirs including those in Brits, Elandsrand, Sonop and Hartbeespoort. If turbid water comes out of the taps, we wish to advise consumers to allow the tap to run for a while until the water is clear,” Tshabalala said.
He added that the water quality “complied with the South African National Standard 241 on microbiological aspects during the month of January 2019”, but residents disputed this. |