EFF lays water crisis squarely on CHDM

The EFF has lambasted the Chris Hani District Municipality for not communicating or resolving issues of water outages, particularly following an extended outage in Ezibeleni.

The Rep has received reports of outages in most areas in and around Komani, including Victoria Park, Aloevale and New Rest, Westbourne, Bergsig, Mlungisi and Blue Rise, with outages of up to four days at a time, while low water pressure was experienced throughout the area.

The EFF said Ezibeleni residents had been without water since last Thursday. Resident of the area and MP Zolile Xalisa said water was a basic need and he was “disappointed in the way CHDM and the government are treating people. When the ANC is campaigning, it says it will bring water to the people and water that is clean, but on the practical side, it becomes impossible.”

He claimed the municipality marginalised black people as they would not give such ill treatment to the white community.

“These are the same people who will be running to get our votes next year. We are sick and tired of their attitude.”

He said if community members took to the streets they would be viewed as irrational, but that the municipal institutions were causing the anger.

He said he had spoken to CHDM executive mayor Kholiswa Vimbayo about the water outages, but she had not got back to him yet. Wards 4, 5, 6 and 8 were particularly badly affected.

“This is enough. The municipality and the ANC government must deal with the water crisis. We are aware the Xonxa community does not want their water to be taken and it is none of our business how CHDM solves that, but we want water. We are paying for services which we are not receiving. That means that the district municipality is robbing us.”

EFF branch secretary Thulani Bukani said when the water returned briefly on Tuesday, it did not reach all the houses.

Residents of several houses then flocked to one house which would be costly for the owner.

CHDM spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa had not commented at the time of going to print.