Intsika Yethu villagers still waiting for water tanks
Nineteen villages in the Intsika Yethu municipality are yet to receive the water tanks promised to them by the district authority to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 — almost five months into lockdown.
The villages are surrounded by other drought-stricken communities which have not had water for years, yet some were not even considered for the 230 water tanks supposed to be delivered by Cogta, Rand Water and the water & sanitation department via the Chris Hani district municipality (CHDM).
CHDM spokesperson Thobeka Mqamelo told the Dispatch that the 20 water tanks were yet to be delivered for use in Intsika Yethu because service providers had been appointed only last week.
The Dispatch visited the Matholanyile community — which is excluded from the communities to benefit from the tanks — where for more than three years residents have been collecting and using water from a stream laden with litter. Animals also drink and defecate in the stream.
Matholanyile villagers have previously barricaded the R61 road and protested against their exclusion from water service delivery. EFF councillor Wonga Dunjwa said several wards had not received water tanks, making it difficult for villagers to protect themselves against the spread of the coronavirus.
Human settlements, water & sanitation spokesperson Yonela Diko referred queries to the municipalities.
Mqamelo said the district municipality had received all 230 water tanks — 120 from water & sanitation, 10 from Cogta and 100 from Rand Water. So far 130 of these meant for the Intsika Yethu local municipality had been delivered.
Mqamelo said 20 of the Rand Water tanks had been distributed to Intsika Yethu “and are yet to be installed in identified points”.
She said the CDHM had finalised appointments of contractors “for this purpose and they are expected to start installation this week”.
“Local municipalities have already identified installation points. All water tanks received by the district are fully accounted for,” Mqamelo said.
The water tanks would be delivered to villages in wards 3, 7, 9, 12, 15, 19, 20 and 21 this week, she said.
However, EFF councillors Songelwa Mnqweno and Dunjwa denied that water tanks had been delivered to wards 3, 19 and 21 and said CDHM officials had given the council the runaround about the tanks.
Sibongile Majajula, a Matholanyile resident whose area does not fall within the chosen wards, said they are fed up with collecting water from a dirty stream on the slopes of Ngqwarhu hill.
“We have been living like this for years. We’ve protested, but when it came to water tank delivery we were excluded.
What choice do we have when it comes to this water when the authorities don’t give us water? Would you choose death over drinking the water from the stream?”
Silulami Mbokwana, a resident of Ncucuzo, which is set to receive a water tank, said: “We already have water in our village because we have taps with running water and they’re close to our homes.”
The Dispatch questioned Mqamelo on why some drought-stricken villages had not been chosen to receive water, but she had not responded at the time of writing.
Intsika Yethu municipality spokesperson Zuko Tshangana referred queries to CDHM.