Eastern Cape in need of clean drinkable water
Teresa Opperman
Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL, Shadow MEC for Cogta, recently raised concerns with regard to the non-availability of safe and reliable water sources in the Eastern Cape.
She says that it has become evident that a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the Eastern Cape. The water infrastructure is collapsing, taps have run dry, and tens of thousands of desperate residents across the province are being displaced as there is no longer any water available to them. According to her those who choose to stay can wait days, even weeks, for municipalities to cart water to their area by tanker or must rely on local water sources, which are often contaminated, as the sewage infrastructure has also collapsed.
The Advertiser previously reported on these matters:
I have voted since 1994 but I still have no running water - 8 March 2023
Gemeenskap nog nooit lopende water gehad nie - 6 February 2024
A fishy business - 19 July 2023
Sewage problems in Jansenville
Worsening sewage spill causes outrage January 2024
Mhunu assesses Eastern Cape state of water and sanitation - 11 March 2024
These are just some of the stark realities that have come to light during the recent Small Town Tour by the Democratic Alliance (DA) Eastern Cape, which involved visiting 28 small towns over six weeks in the Eastern Cape. Knoetze says the most appalling aspect of this crisis is that the private sector wants to help, but according to her the ANC-led local government refuses to acknowledge the problem. "Politicians and officials have chosen rather to let the people suffer than accept assistance and take responsibility for the crisis," Knoetze reports.
She lists some of the water-related issues faced by Eastern Cape communities:
The Town of Pearston in the Blue Crane Route Municipality has been without water for months. The private sector and community members offered to repair the problem, but the municipality rejected the offer.
The Ndlovini and New Brighton communities in Bedford, in the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, have been without water for years.
Coldstream, in the Koukamma Municipality, has been without water since the beginning of the year due to reservoir leaks and reticulation problems.
Joubertina, in Koukamma Municipality, has regular water shedding as only one out of three pumps is in working condition.
The pump house is also flooded regularly due to faulty plumbing. The Joubertina supply dam is currently at 12% capacity. Again, the irrigation board offered to assist in managing the water infrastructure, while the private sector offered to repair the infrastructure, but the offer was rejected by the municipality.
Woodlands, in the Koukamma Municipality, is also experiencing water shedding due to a lightning strike three years ago that damaged the electrical infrastructure at the pump station. The private sector offered to repair this at no cost, but the offer was rejected by the municipality.
The towns of Cradock and Middelburg, in the Inxuba Yethemba Local
Municipality, have massive infrastructure challenges and the towns are often without water for more than a week at a time.
Several areas in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality are affected by continuous water outages, including Eluxolweni and Twinsville, as well as Hofmeyr Town, with some areas not having had water for many years.
Knoetze says access to water is a basic human right in South Africa and that it is alarming that municipalities lack the resources to address the challenges.
She undertook to write to the Cogta
MEC, Zolile Williams, to intervene and to encourage the abovementioned municipalities to accept help from the private sector in terms of public-private partnerships. "That is the only way forward!" she says.