The eTheku municipality has spent a staggering R357 million on its water tanker program over the past three years, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation. The program, which provides water to communities in areas experiencing water shortages, has been criticized for being an inadequate long-term solution. The municipality has been using the program to provide water to communities, but it has been plagued by controversy, including a recent incident where a person was sucked into a water tanker.
The Department of Water and Sanitation revealed that the municipality had spent R357 million on the program in response to a parliamentary question. While the department did not provide a breakdown of the costs, it stated that the municipality had reported that it had not used the water tanker program on a daily basis in areas such as Phoenix, Chatsworth, and Verulam over the past three years. Instead, the municipality had used the program to provide water in emergency situations.
The use of water tankers has been criticized by some as a temporary fix that does not address the underlying issues with the water infrastructure. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has been vocal in its opposition to the use of water tankers, with the party's mayoral candidate, Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, stating that the program was a waste of resources and did not provide a long-term solution to the water crisis.
Mkhaliphi stated that the EFF had long been questioning the ownership of the water tankers and the benefits that some individuals were gaining from the program. She also expressed concern about the impact of the water crisis on communities, with many people being forced to queue for hours to access water. The situation had led to some people resorting to violent acts in order to access water.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has also criticized the municipality's handling of the water crisis, with councilor Thabani Ndlovu stating that the crisis was a result of the municipality's failure to maintain the water infrastructure. Ndlovu stated that the municipality's leadership had failed to do its job, leading to the current water crisis.
The water crisis in eTheku has had a significant impact on communities, with many residents expressing frustration and anger at the situation. The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association has expressed concern about the impact of the crisis, stating that it was clear that someone or some business was benefiting from the situation.
The association's chairperson, Ish Prahladh, stated that the situation was unacceptable and that the municipality needed to take urgent action to address the water crisis. Prahladh also expressed concern about reports of water tankers providing water to certain areas, while other areas were left without water.
Key points
- The eTheku municipality has spent R357 million on its water tanker program over the past three years.
- The program has been criticized for being an inadequate long-term solution to the water crisis.
- The municipality's leadership has been accused of failing to maintain the water infrastructure, leading to the current water crisis.
