Sigh of relief as water supply is restored

RESIDENTS at Ithemba Farms, in Eerste River, are elated to have running water again, after being cut off from the grid for more than a week.

The water supply to four taps, which service just over 600 people, was reconnected yesterday morning.

The residents, who have livestock and plantations, have lived and farmed on the provincial Department of Human Settlements’ land, in the vicinity of Old Faure Road, Eerste River, for more than 25 years.

Sophia Goliath, who is bedridden, said they did not know why the water had been disconnected, as they were not given a warning.

“I felt terrible being without water. It was a great inconvenience when the water supply was disrupted for no reason. My eight-year-old son normally fetches water for me,” she said.

Another resident, Maria Springbok said her biggest concern was the children.

She said she was also grateful for the rain yesterday.

“We had to send our children to a small truck that comes around with water, and that is also not always consistent. The truck only comes when it wants, so you have to work very sparingly with the water you have, as it is never guaranteed when the truck would come again. We are grateful for the rain that came,” said Springbok.

Surplus People’s Project and Ithemba Small Farmers spokesperson Sophia Scholtz said she immediately followed up on the matter, after residents reported it earlier this week.

“Four taps were fixed yesterday by the City of Cape Town, but they still need to fix four other taps.

“We are waiting for the others to be reconnected.

“There was no water for more than a week and people struggled to get running water. But it has since been fixed, although we are still waiting on the other taps to be reconnected,” said Andrews.

Provincial Department of Human

Settlements spokesperson Nathan Adriaanse said they were aware of the disruption.

“The department was informed that the disconnection was a matter between the City of Cape Town Municipality and Eskom. It appears that Eskom needed to access its servitude, and needed to disconnect the water supply in order to do so,” said Adriaanse.

The City did not respond by deadline and attempts to get comment from Eskom were unsuccessful.