Five months since the new council at the Mamusa Local Municipality in the North West was elected, challenges related to water provision have resurfaced. This is despite promises and commitments that residents would not struggle again to access water.
Residents of Extension Six at Ipelegeng Township in Schweizer-Reneke have expressed concerns about the lack of water supply in their area which has been continuing for three months. The residents say at a time when the government is promoting hygiene to tackle the spread of COVID-19, this is now a health hazard.
According to Stats SA’s 2016 Community Survey, this municipality has a population of 64 000 people.
It has been experiencing water problems for almost nine years. In the Ipelegeng township, close to 10 000 people are reported to be struggling to get adequate access to water. Water tanks were introduced a few years ago but reportedly failed to improve the situation.
Currently, residents in some extensions including Extension 6, rely on one communal tap for water.
However, the taps have also dried up. Now, residents are forced to queue at the local sports ground waiting for a water truck, which they say, sometimes doesn’t arrive. Some of them expressed their frustration.
“We are struggling with water in Extension 6. Our toilets are smelling, and [President] Cyril Ramaphosa said to us we must prevent corona. So, we want to know why can’t we get water because, with corona, we must wash our hands,” says one resident.
“It’s been weeks without water, how are we expected to wash our hands? We can’t even wash our hands after using the toilet. We are cooking for our kids with unwashed hands, we can’t take it anymore,” says another resident.
Authorities at the local municipality have acknowledged the water crisis.
Mayor Gotsilekgosi Batsi explains what is causing the challenge.
“The challenge there is that we are busy with the water pressure booster pump that we are installing, and that is why today, as we speak there are challenges of water running water from the taps and that, is a serious challenge there. Because we never had a connection to yards for our own residents, our people tampered with the pipes because they wanted to arrange illegal connections,” says Batsi.
However, Batsi says his municipality has received R24 million from the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, for the refurbishment of a water treatment plant. He says this will resolve their water crisis.
“The treatment used to store 25% of water. Now, as we speak, it stores 75% of water. We are here because we are refurbishing the reservoir and the treatment plant so that it will be our permanent solution. Our people are going to get water all over, all the wards, all the sections, more especially in Ipelegeng. They are not going to receive any crisis or any shortage of water,” says Batsi.
The municipality says the water treatment plant will permanently resolve their water crisis.
