A guest house in uMhlanga, South Africa, has been forced to refund guests and suspend bookings due to recurring water outages lasting up to four days. The Five Burnham Guest House, a four-star establishment, has experienced repeated interruptions, making it difficult to operate and provide expected services. Manager Mel Bird stated that the uncertainty of water supply has resulted in guest refunds, reimbursements, and additional drinking water being provided.
The water outages have affected various aspects of the guest house's operations, including kitchen services, guest bathrooms, and laundry services. Staff have struggled to maintain normal operations, and management has had to make alternative arrangements. Bird mentioned that guests have been understanding, but the situation has been challenging. The guest house has considered installing water storage tanks, but limited space and the potential for tanks to run dry during prolonged outages have restricted this option.
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has raised concerns about the financial burden of water shortages on businesses. In its response to the State of the Nation Address, the Chamber called for sustainable infrastructure maintenance and planning. The Chamber also scheduled an infrastructure working group meeting to discuss the effects of eThekwini's water problems on businesses and possible interventions.
The eThekwini Municipality has reported improvements in water supply, with outstanding water faults decreasing from 13,000 in July to 3,900. Non-revenue water has also declined from 58% to 55%, with a target of reducing it below 50% before year-end. Mayor Cyril Xaba inspected water and sanitation infrastructure in uMlazi as part of an intervention aimed at improving service delivery.
Despite reported improvements, Bird stated that recurring pipe bursts and lengthy repair times continue to affect businesses. She praised local councillors for keeping residents informed about outages but noted that there are not enough plumbers to deal with the number of burst pipes across municipal wards. Bird wants the next eThekwini administration to improve communication, increase repair capacity, and prioritize permanent repairs.
The water outages have significant implications for the tourism industry, which is still recovering from the July 2021 unrest, devastating floods in 2022, and problems affecting Durban's beaches. Bird warned that unreliable water could undermine opportunities presented by new tourism developments, including Club Med on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Reliable water is essential for hospitality businesses to maintain visitor confidence.
As the 2026 Local Government Elections approach, businesses are calling for the next eThekwini administration to fix water infrastructure and improve outage communication. The Durban Business Confidence Index identified water supply as a major municipal service concern, with 26% of surveyed respondents rating it as the worst-performing service.
Key points
- The Five Burnham Guest House has experienced water outages lasting up to four days, forcing it to refund guests and suspend bookings.
- The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for sustainable infrastructure maintenance and planning to address water shortages.
- The eThekwini Municipality has reported improvements in water supply, but businesses remain concerned about the reliability of the water infrastructure.
