Charge negligent officials over Makhanda and eThekwini water outages

The water supply situation will only improve when municipal managers face charges over failed water supply.

WaterCAN is deeply concerned about the ongoing water outages affecting the communities of Makhanda and eThekwini. These disruptions have caused significant inconvenience and hardship for residents, impacting daily life and essential services.

The water challenges in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape have been ongoing for a number of years. One of the key challenges was the corruption and mismanagement related to the R400 million for the upgrade of the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works in Makhanda that was lost or stolen.

“The recent outages have exacerbated the challenges faced by a very patient community, particularly in terms of health and sanitation. We have said this over and over, the only time things will get better is when people face the music. When we charge municipal managers, then we will see things change,” says Dr Ferrial Adam, Executive Manager of WaterCAN, which is an OUTA initiative.

Similarly, the water outages in eThekwini have created a critical situation for residents. The lack of water has affected schools, hospitals, and businesses, disrupting normal operations and posing a serious public health risk. In eThekwini, the most recent outage has been a result of large volumes of algae that have clogged the filters at the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works, affecting the amount of water available for treatment and supply to residents.

“While algae in water systems does occur, and can block filters, the question for us is: how was it allowed to get so bad? What is the maintenance schedule that ensures that filters are regularly cleaned to prevent blockage?” says Adam.

The short-term solution in eThekwini is to use chemical treatments to unclog the filters and to get more water tankers to provide water. The tankers currently in use have not been able to deal with the number of areas affected.

“Given the impact on the quality of drinking water in eThekwini, it is imperative that the municipality test daily and share these results with the public. In addition, our reliance on water tankers when in a crisis situation is worrying as we know that there is a growing water tanker mafia. This kind of outage is feeding this mafia and we need to stop it,” says Adam.

WaterCAN demands that municipalities publish clear maintenance plans, provide open and transparent information on water tanker companies (including the full costs to the municipality), charge responsible officials for negligence and pollution, and provide regular information on the quality of the water we are drinking.

Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, and it is imperative that we work together to ensure that all residents have reliable access to this essential resource.