Rand Water to open criminal cases as ‘abuse and insults’ fly over water cuts

04 June 2021 - 12:36 By TimesLIVE
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After more than two weeks of dry taps and portaloos, staff and patients at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg finally had running water on Wednesday after Gift of the Givers Foundation arranged to have a borehole sunk. File photo.
After more than two weeks of dry taps and portaloos, staff and patients at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg finally had running water on Wednesday after Gift of the Givers Foundation arranged to have a borehole sunk. File photo.
Image: Alon Skuy

Rand Water says it will open criminal complaints against members of the public for directing “abusive language and insults” at its employees during water shortages.

Johannesburg suburbs and hospitals have been hit by water shortages in some cases for days and coupled with load-shedding, this has seen affected residents venting their frustration and anger on social media.

Rand Water’s customer service centre (CSC) has also been sent e-mail correspondence “in which a member of the public uses profanities to express their frustration,” Rand Water said.

“The latest e-mail was sent to the organisation’s CSC on May 30. Rand Water views the tone and the abusive language used in the e-mail as unacceptable, undesirable and malicious to its brand.

“The sender of the e-mail implied that water shortages in his area were as a result of the incompetence of Rand Water employees. This accusation is unfounded and baseless since water supply is dependent on interlinkages with other service providers in the water value chain.”

Rand Water acknowledged it sometimes encountered challenges in supplying water to customers, but said it communicated with consumers about the situation.

Rand Water said it would “not tolerate abusive language and insults” directed at its employees.

TimesLIVE


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