Spokesperson for the OR Tambo District Municipality, Zimkitha Macingwane, said that the municipality provided water to the residents of Thabo Mbeki Township in Libode, last week.
Macingwane was responding to the request made by these community members, stating that their water was supplied by tanks, but the community was still struggling because the tanks were empty.
“I must also admit that the municipality is overwhelmed by community members who have water tanks but need water, because this kind of approach is very expensive for the district municipality.
“From time to time we make it a point that we do assist those communities by supplying water, as we understand that water is a basic necessity,” said Macingwane.
She said during the COVID-19 period they were given tanks by the Department of Water and Sanitation; however, they know it’s their responsibility to ensure that water is provided into those tanks.
“The reason they do not have water currently is due to our water treatment works at Mhlanga having a fault on the pumps and a main burst on the line, which we are expecting to fix soon. Secondly, there are too many illegal connections by other communities on the line towards the town, which makes it difficult to have enough water supply to the town, ultimately to Megacom.”
She added that the only way now is to ration water to Megacom and town, once the plant is fully operational, until they have finalised the Rosedale Water Supply from Mthatha which will resolve the issue. There is still no water.
Ward committee member for this area, Siyabonga Qange said they had never received the water the municipality was talking about.
“When are they going to deliver some water? The office from Libode always calls me first so that I can show the person who delivers water the tanks that he needs to fill up.
“People here are still struggling because there is no water,” said Qange.
Regarding Qange’s comment, Macingwane said the customer care department had engaged Qange and explained how they would operate fixing the water treatment works (WTW).
One of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) members, Mzuzwana Mlamli, said the municipality had installed taps in their yards in 2012 but until now they are not working. He said they had to stand in a long queue in order to get water.
“We are using water but we don’t know where it is coming from. All of us in this area depend on this tap,” said Mlamli. He added that it was painful because they had even reported this matter to the municipality but still there is no solution. Mlamli said they were told that their water would be taken from Rosedale but also that did not happen.
“This is affecting us because some of the people are very old here, but they are forced to come and stay here and wait for their turn in order to get water.”
Another member, Bekiwe Mbhobho said the municipality built their houses and taps were installed, meaning that each homestead has two taps, but none were functioning. She said they were getting water by then; then the municipality installed other taps again in their yards and claims they were later told that the pipes were not installed in a correct way.
“Ever since then, they never get water from those taps. When the COVID-19 arrived, it was hard for us because we did not have water; we were struggling. Now we are fetching water and we do not even know where it is coming from. We appeal to the municipality to fix these taps, so that we can be able to get clean water,” said Mbhobho.
