Umlazi residents express cholera concerns after a month without tap water

Residents of a number of sections in Umlazi township, south of Durban, have been without running water for a month and are concerned about the risk of contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera.

The affected sections include AA, BB as well as Z sections. The residents say though they are getting water from water tankers, the supply is inadequate.

“It is very difficult because now as usual I’m supposed to eat porridge in the mornings, so it means I need to skip some days where I’m not getting the porridge. So, what I’m familiar with on daily basis I feel satisfied if I have to cook my porridge and then take my tablets.”

“We live in unhealthy conditions; our homes are not clean. The flushing system which is not appropriate which makes the cleaning of the house a major issue. We literally just using water from buckets, but we don’t do thorough cleaning, so we are living in unhealthy conditions especially as rate paying citizens.”