eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) is the latest entity to voice discontent at the escalating water supply crisis in the city.
The organisation, which comprises various ratepayers groups across the city, will embark on a protest action to Curries Fountain Sports Development Centre on Saturday to deliver its memorandum of demands.
It said the municipality’s decision-making processes regarding water repair and maintenance tenders were “shrouded in secrecy” with no proper oversight, which led to “questionable contracts and devastating consequences”.
“The demands include immediate oversight into the repair and maintenance of our water supply, or we will proceed with a citywide economic protest until they are rehabilitated. We are calling for the withholding of funds until there is water in every tap,” said ERPM.
The city has been experiencing increased water disruptions in recent months, which have deepened since the turn of the year as the water curtailment measures — which sees the city receiving 8.5% less supply from uMngeni-uThukela Water — resumed after being suspended during the festive season.
Residents, unions in the health-care sector and the DA have expressed their frustration with the water challenges through protests since the beginning of February, while the national leadership of the department of water and sanitation (DWS) held a meeting last week with the bulk water body and city.
A joint statement by the department, the water authority and the municipality attributed the crisis to high consumption as a result of rapid urbanisation and leaks in the city’s water distribution system.
This has seen water demand exceed the available treated water supply, as reservoirs get depleted faster than they can be refilled. This has forced the city to implement water rationing.
uMngeni-uThukela Water's supply to the city’s outer-west areas such as Hillcrest was further affected by it having to shut down one of its pipelines in January to allow Sanral to upgrade the N3 highway, but that work is close to completion and the pipeline is expected to be back in operation on Thursday.
The three bodies said there are various medium- and long-term projects under way aimed at augmenting the water supply system to the city, including the upgrades of the Southern and Northern Aqueducts and the uMkhomazi water project.
However, ERPM is not convinced of eThekwini’s ability to deliver on these promises.
“Year after year, we've been promised solutions. Year after year, we've been let down. The eThekwini municipality's track record is clear: broken pipes, lost water, and a lack of accountability.
“But it's not just the infrastructure that's broken. It's the trust between the municipality and the people they serve. The trust has been irrevocably broken.”
Responding to the joint statement, ERPM said: “We have been there [and] seen phenomenal plans, but a plan with no action is nothing. It’s simple; the need to repair and upgrade the infrastructure was identified decades ago but never even started. A desalination plant will be of no use if the infrastructure is broken. Neither will a new dam have any significant impact.”
ERPM is calling for mayor Cyril Xaba, city manager Musa Mbhele and a provincial Cogta official to receive the memorandum.
TimesLIVE
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