By Lucia Gxigxa and Sanele Khumalo
As South Africans prepare to cast their votes next week, the residents of Progress, in Chatsworth, in Durban, say they are uncertain about participating in this year’s National General Election.
They are disgruntled about experiencing severe water shortages for a long time.
One of the residents, Aphiwe Duma, who has been living in the area for almost 10 years, said that water scarcity is a big problem for the community.
“When we do not have water here in Progress, we get affected (negatively) a lot because there is nothing we can do if there is no water. It gets worse when the water tanker does not come. We end up hiring cars a
to get water for us,” she said.
Duma added that she does not remember the area having water consistently since she settled there.
“When I came in the neighbourhood, it was the same issue. Only water tankers were providing water as it is right now. ”
A resident who requested their identity not be disclosed spoke about how the water shortage affects the community.
“(The) water (shortage) affects us in a very negative way. The worst part is that when water comes back into the taps, it only lasts for a few minutes or a day and gets cut immediately. We do not know where the problem is and this frustrates us a lot,” said the resident.
Other residents said that they felt the councillor is not doing anything to address the crisis and it has been long time since they last saw the ward councillor.
A Ward 72 Committee Member, who spoke on behalf of the ward councillor, Sphamandla Mkhize, attributed the water crisis to land invasion.
He said many people moved to the area without consulting with the authorities.
He said that: “The reason why Progress is in this situation is because of the increasing number of people who are building shacks and houses here. People come and connect water to the pipes that were already there, which makes the water not to reach everyone and has less (pressure) when it comes back. That is why there’s always a shortage.”
