Ratepayers demand action on water crisis in eThekwini
Ratepayer bodies met with the eThekwini Municipality on Wednesday to discuss water supply issues days before a Water and Sanitation Turnaround Strategy Business Plan is expected to be presented to the public.
The urgent meeting comes after a placard protest was held on Monday outside the eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) department in Durban. The theme behind the placard waving protest was ‘save eThekwini’.
The Ethekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA), which represents all ratepayer associations in the municipality, organised Monday’s protest.
The ERRA called on all communities to unite against the ongoing water crises.The ERRA met with water structural engineers, civil engineers and water resource engineers to help find a solution to a reservoir that is not pumping water to the Northern parts of eThekwini.
Ethekwini City manager Musa Mbhele is expected to present the turnaround plan on Tuesday during an Executive Committee Meeting (Exco).
Spokesperson for the ERRA, Ish Pradladh said the meeting was informative and gave them clarity on issues they faced as well as plans for water tankering services.
Mayor Cyril Xaba stated that Exco is no longer prepared to engage in endless discussions about water challenges and now wants to hold the management accountable to a clear action plan.
The plan is expected to address curbing water losses by detecting and repairing water leaks, replacement and installation of meters so that the City can account for every drop of water provided to residents.
Xaba said these interventions will help the City to reduce non-revenue water which is currently sitting at above 50%, adding that the Exco was also unanimous in support for the turning around of the city’s water service because it will not only stabilise water supply, but also grow revenue.
Verulam Water Crisis Committee spokesperson Roshan Lil-Ruthan said while the mayor acknowledges the problems and outlines steps to address them, the true test will be in the execution and willingness to hold responsible parties accountable.
“The residents of eThekwini deserve decisive action and results, not just plans and promises,” he said.
Meanwhile the Ethekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) is expected to handover a memorandum of demands to the eThekwini Mayor, City Manager and a representative of the Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) on March 1 at the Curries Fountain Stadium. Spokesperson for ERPM Asad Gaffar said the water crisis cannot be left unresolved.
“It is time for the adults in the room to address this municipality with some consequence management. In essence we are calling for immediate oversight into the repair and maintenance of our water supply - failing which a city wide economic protest against this Metro will go live until they are rehabilitated. Not another cent until there’s water in every tap. Enough is enough,” Gaffar said.
Regarding the business plan, Xaba said as part of the consultation process he will also brief Premier Thami Ntuli, the speaker of eThekwini council, Thabani Nyawose; Chief Whip, Snegugu Shange; the co-chairperson of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group, Mike Mabuyakhulu and Section 154 intervention conveyor, Dr Mike Sutcliffe. Xaba and the chairperson of the eThekwini municipality Oversight Committee councillor Mdu Nkosi will also share the plan with the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za