Residents of Phoenix, a suburb in South Africa, experienced water cuts on Election Day, a stark reminder of the daily struggles they face due to water shortages. The water supply was switched off at 11am on Wednesday, leaving many without access to this essential resource. This disruption occurred despite the significance of the day, which saw residents participating in local government elections.
The water crisis in Phoenix is a longstanding issue, with residents enduring years of daily water shedding. A week ago, the eThekwini Municipality confirmed that residents would face at least another six years of outages before a major infrastructure project, the R30-billion Upper uMkhomazi Water Project, is completed. This project aims to supplement the city’s existing water supply and alleviate the crisis.
The impact of the water cuts on Election Day was significant, with many residents expressing frustration and disappointment. Tricia Jainath, a resident of Grove End, recounted her experience, saying she had to rush to bathe when the water supply returned, only to find it had been cut off again when she returned home. This experience highlights the challenges faced by residents in accessing basic necessities.
Other residents, such as Suraya Chanderdave from Sunford, were not surprised by the water cuts on Election Day. She noted that water shortages are a regular occurrence in her area, even on public holidays. This sentiment was echoed by Abbu Saib, who expressed concern about the difficulties faced by residents, particularly after a long day of voting.
The Verulam Water Crisis Committee and Verulam Business Forum (VBF) chairperson, Roshan Lil-Ruthan, described the water cuts on voting day as “tragic and a bitter irony”. He emphasized that thousands of families had once again woken up without water on a day when they were expected to participate in the democratic process.
Lil-Ruthan further highlighted the lived reality of residents in Phoenix, Trenance Park, Verulam, and surrounding communities, who have been forced to endure service delivery failures, prolonged outages, uncertainty, and the indignity of not knowing when a basic human necessity will be restored. This situation underscores the need for urgent solutions to address the water crisis.
The water crisis in Phoenix is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. With residents facing at least another six years of outages, it is essential that the R30-billion Upper uMkhomazi Water Project is completed as soon as possible to supplement the city’s existing water supply and alleviate the crisis.
Key points
- The water supply in Phoenix is switched off every afternoon and returns the next morning.
- The R30-billion Upper uMkhomazi Water Project aims to supplement the city’s existing water supply.
- Residents in Phoenix’s wards 48 to 52 remain dependent on an overstretched system that struggles to meet demand.
