Water outages in Joza and high-lying areas remain problematic, and Makana councillors at the recent ordinary council meeting were still questioning the progress being made towards rectifying this matter.
Water outages in Joza and high-lying areas remain problematic, and Makana councillors at the recent ordinary council meeting were still questioning the progress being made towards rectifying this matter.
Councillor Michael Whisson referred to the minutes of the Mayoral committee meeting in May which outlined a report on water outages in Joza. “Perhaps the council should note that the water outages in Joza and other parts of that area has not been resolved and we are now four months down the line. I think that this is quite outrageous," he said.
Ward 9 councillor Mxolisi Ntshiba commented that he has had no water at his home for three weeks. "Water only comes at midnight." Ntshiba said you will find certain houses with water but across the streets are houses without water.
“CFO, my bill is consistant, it does not reflect that there is a problem with the water," he said. Executive Mayor Vumile Lwana said he has heard that before water is transported to rural areas it is sold before it reaches the people. He said when he hears of such allegations, he believes an investigation should be made.
Lwana said that there is a lack of information reaching the community about the severity of this matter. "It is true what Councillor Ntshiba said about them getting water at 12 midnight." Lwana added that they had a fault of not informing people about what plans are in place to mitigate the situation.
Municipal Manager Ntombi Baart responded to the water issues raised. "I must indicate that these issues were discussed at length during the Water Indaba," she said. An action plan around the resolutions was taken at the indaba and has already been developed and will be taken to the Land, Housing, Infrastructural Development and Disaster Management Portfolio Committee, said Baart.
Some of the resolutions have already been carried out such as the recommendation made by Whisson during the indaba that new RDP houses should come with a rainwater tank. "I think we will continue to experience these problems," said Baart. The Waainek plant is completely dry. She said they have been carting water to supply the high lying areas.
"Unfortunately in terms of the locality of some Joza areas, they are in the high lying areas and that causes a diminishing of water pressure." Councillor Les Reynolds suggested that additional pipes be used to feed water to Grahamstown East as "we are in a crisis situation now". He added that something needs to be done now as the council cannot allow people to be without water.
