Residents of Ikageng Section in Mamelodi East are relieved and happy to have water again in their area after it was cut off since 2019.
MMC for Utilities in the City of Tshwane Frans Boshielo told Tshwane Talks that the problem regarding water supply to Ikageng was caused by valves which had been shut down and had to be opened and that there was not enough pressure to supply water to some portions of Ikageng especially Molokoloko Street, but that technical issue has been resolved now.
“As part of our master plan there is a need to build a fifth reservoir on the Eastern part of Mamelodi due to population growth and as the City of Tshwane we will mobilise financial resources next year in this regard,” said Boshielo.
“We are happy that the water problem in Ikageng has been resolved and we would like to thank the residents for their patience though it has been a long road for us to finally make sure that there is water in Ikageng,” he said.
A relieved elderly Jabu Dlamini, who is a local resident of Ikageng said he was happy that water supply has been restored to the area since it was cut off some six years ago.
“Our geezers now have water but many geezers in the area have broken down now due to lack of water,” he said as he pointed out that in his opinion water that was supplied to them via tanks was not healthy at all and that he and his equally elderly wife didn’t use it at all.
“Though we are happy to have water back again in the area, we are not sure as to how long the supply will last,” he said.
“We have water day and night now and we can bath properly, thanks to the efforts of MMC Frans Boshielo as well as Councillor Masemola in this regard,” he said.
Another resident Francinah Masala also expressed joy that water supply has been restored to the area and said they had lost hope, but are relieved now and that as residents they are giving thanks to MMC Boshielo and Councillor Masemola.
“We tried to embark upon various protest actions like stopping IEC activities at the local hall but that didn’t help, yet we restrained ourselves from shutting down our roads with dirt and burning tyres,” she said.
“Our geezers have broken down and we are using electric urns now to boil water but at least we can have hot baths using tubs, our washing machines are working now and though we are not sure if the supply will last forever, for now we are happy because we used to have sleepless nights having to pile up water into buckets of water every now and then,” she said.
“This has been a real struggle and we had to conserve water for flushing our toilets as water supply was not forthcoming and the little bit that was there was hopelessly inadequate as it came out like saliva,” said Masala.
“We have sick children and elderly people living with chronic diseases and the situation was just unbearable,” she said.
She pointed out that people like ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula came to the area six years ago and promised at the time that that they will be back within seven days to sort out the problem, but all that didn’t happen.
“People like former Mayor Cilliers Brink and President Cyril Ramaphosa have failed us in this regard but now that water supply has been restored to our area, we will start voting again during elections and pay our water bills with a smile” said an elated Masala.