Johannesburg- “Hammanskraal water is going to kill me,” laments 67-year-old Sebenzile Zungu from Marokolong in northern Gauteng, who is suffering from chronic stomach cramps.
Zungu told Sunday World that she could not afford to buy water as her family depended on her old-age grant for survival.
“All my sons are unemployed,” she said, explaining that piece jobs are not always guaranteed with the high unemployment rate in the country.
“I have made peace with the fact that I am one foot in the grave due to this contaminated water.”
A 2019 report by the South African Human Rights Commission has found that water in Hammanskraal is not suitable for human consumption.
The upcoming local elections, scheduled for November 1, are also bringing little hope to residents, who say they are tired of empty promises.
Kgomotso Morelife said water scarcity limited access to safe water for drinking and for practising basic hygiene at home.
“A number of sewage pipes burst. The threat of contracting diseases such as cholera is also high.”
Morelife said the municipality delivered water tanks to affected areas, however, not everyone had access to water as there were many people who needed water, and the truck only stopped at specific locations.
“It becomes a problem if you do not know anyone as the queues get extremely long, and if the water runs out, we have to look out for the next stop or guard the truck the following day.”
Dumizulu Nkwanyane said: “We are forced to buy purified water and if you do not have that R1 to buy water, you are to drink the same water that’s declared unclean for human consumption.”
Nkwanyane said residents still had to pay for the unclean water. “The municipality doesn’t really care, they just want their money, and the rates are unreasonable.”
Kedibone Mashao, a resident of Maubane, said they had not had water for nine days.
“We call on the Human Rights Commission to do something about the water crisis in our area,” said Mashao.
City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the municipality was aware of the issues and was working hard to resolve them. “The water situation in Hammanskraal is an old problem related to the technical overloading and problems at Rooiwal wastewater treatment works,” he said.
He, however, said the city had not received a formal complaint stating that the water tankers were not sufficient for everyone.
“Water tankers are distributed per ward and operate daily to supply water to affected wards.
“All the tankers are roaming. There are a total of 50 water tankers deployed [though during the period where the Temba plant was having issues, that number was increased by a further 24 tankers].
“The city made it clear to water-tanker service providers that anyone caught selling water will be immediately removed and that their contracts may even be terminated.
He added: “If residents are aware of such, we encourage them to notify the city at our regional offices.”
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