Striking eThekwini Municipality workers are holding communities to ransom, shutting off water and power, mainly in the northern suburbs of Phoenix, Tongaat and Verulam.
Yesterday (Tuesday), frustrated Verulam residents took to the streets in protest against the ongoing water and power outages and the non-collection of refuse, which have been exacerbated by the strike.
The Tongaat Water Works (TWW) was also shut down due to the strike action. The striking workers have demanded that the TWW operators be removed from duty, resulting in no pumping taking place from the water works to the reservoirs.
It is unclear when the TWW will resume operation.
Last week, the workers affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) downed tools, demanding to a wage on par with other municipalities.
This resulted in service delivery being impacted across eThekwini, as well as damage to property and infrastructure.
Roshan Lil-Ruthan, spokesperson for the Verulam Water Crisis Committee, said the situation was stressful for residents as the taps remained dry for up to 170 days for some.
“Residents are even more frustrated, angry and worried. They are unable to live their normally as they have to continuously worry about how they are going to get water. People are spending tons of money on drinking water, which they can otherwise use to put food on their table or for other essentials,” he said.
Lil-Ruthan said the strike by the city workers was “crippling” the community.
“There is a shortage of tankers in the area, both the municipal and private operators are not wanting to come into the area. There have been reports that the drivers are afraid due to the ongoing strike, and that filling points are being blocked. It has worsened the dire situation that residents are already facing and impacting their quality of life.
“We have raised our grievances with the city and management in the water services department, including the tanker dispatch control. The municipality needs to provide these tankers with security, so that they are safe and can ensure that communities receive the water they desperately need,” he said.
Lil-Ruthan said they were hoping for some resolution as the South African Human Rights Commission(SAHRC) will be meeting with engineers and specialists this week.
“We urge all these specialists to help us find a resolution to this water crisis. We believe that with this private intervention, we will be able to turn this around faster than the slow deliberate pace of the City. We cannot wait for the new proposed date of water being restored at the end of March,” he said.
Hamesha Chatergune, a resident of the Grange in Verulam, said they had intermittent water supply since last December, but it had worsened since last week, coupled with power outages.
She lives with her parents, brother and 84-year-old grandmother.
“We used to have water - though slow. But since last week, we would be lucky to collect even a litre in the day. To add to this, we also don't have tankers or people with flow bins coming into our road. We have heard that due to the strike, even the drivers of private tankers don’t want to come out.
“This has caused us major strain, as we cannot live normal lives. We have to go work and after a long day, come home and go search for water. We are a family of five, so we purchase a lot of drinking water, at least two 5 litre bottles are used a day. A bottle costs R30. How do we afford this?
“What is frustrating is that we are still getting billed. We received a bill of almost R20 000 last month - yet we don't have water flowing in our taps. When was the last time there was water? It is just a trickle and all odd hours, ” she said.
Chutergune said they have also had power outages since last week.
“Last week we were without electricity for up to 24 hours. On Monday, it went off again. When we contact the municipality, we are told that due to the strike, there are no workers that can come out. So what do we do? Our basic human rights are being violated. We just want our lives to return to normal, ” she said.
Vassie Govender, an executive member of the Voice of Phoenix, said residents, as well as about 29 schools in the area were affected by the outages due the strike.
He said some residents had only intermittent water supply, as well as electricity outages since last week.
“We were already faced with a water crisis but it was seemingly getting better as water started to return to homes. However, since last week, it feels as if residents are back to square one, and some are now even without electricity.
“This crisis has worsened due to the strike as there is no manpower to do the checks and repairs. While we can understand the plight of the workers, what they are doing is impacting the people on the ground,” said Govender.
“It is not just residents who are feeling it. Schools are without water resulting in them closing or seeing a marked increase in absenteeism. Our children’s education is being impacted - this will be detrimental to their future. It is unacceptable,” he said.
Maduray Pillay, the acting principal at Crystal Point Secondary School in Phoenix, said they were dependent on donors for water - as they could not close their doors.
“We have stored a large number of 20 litre buckets of water which is used only for the toilets. We also rely on the generosity of sponsors and parents for drinking water - but that is also a challenge. While some schools have closed, we cannot afford to close as it will impact the curriculum, and pupils are currently writing tests.
“However, we are very concerned about how we will be able to maintain proper hygiene at school if these outages continue. There are 848 pupils in the school, but we have to use water sparingly when cleaning the toilets and this sparks concerns about health and safety. We are also concerned about absenteeism as parents don't send their children to school because they cannot bath. Schools are badly affected and we are now working on securing jojo tanks at the school, so we don't have to close,” he said.
Charlene Naidoo, a resident of Lenham, in Phoenix, said the water outages were taking a toll, mentally and financially on residents.
“The most frustrating part is not knowing if or when we will get water in our taps. We are constantly on our toes and our lives have come to a standstill. We depend on tankers but they don’t always come to our road, and if they do come in the area, we will have to walk to where they are parked. My mum is 75, and while we are at work, she has to carry these buckets of water - up flights of stairs. If she had to suffer an injury, who would be responsible?
“Since last week, the water pressure has been even lower and we can't even fill a bucket of water. The water is also murky and has sand particles. We have to buy at least 10 five litre bottles of water each week. But, what about those people who cannot afford to pay R30 for a bottle, what do they do? It is also very hot these days and we have to stay hydrated. But it is impossible as you have to count every drop you use,” she said.