Residents of Soshanguve have made a wailing cry for more water tankers to be provided to them amidst the water crisis that has hit their area, but their sorrowful plea has apparently fallen on deaf ears.
This as the City of Tshwane has up to now failed to heed the selfsame request.
The water-deprived residents acknowledge that the crisis has been caused by Rand Waters’ planned shutdown that started on 3 July and will last until 18 July, but all that they are asking for is the provision of more water tankers which will cover all areas of their township without discrimination.
Residents told Tshwane Talks that water tankers are availed only to certain areas of the township while the rest of them have to go without any or travel some distance to fetch water from the tankers that always never reach their immediate areas.
Alternatively, residents are forced to look for water at City of Tshwane hydrants so that they can carry out their domestic chores like cooking, washing and bathing.
Some residents indicated that they are served by one or two water tankers which are not enough to meet the demands of the residents as their area is very huge in terms of population.
Last week one resident told Tshwane Talks that the water crisis in their area was worse because instead of being serviced by two water trucks as usual, there was only one water truck operating in their area.
“We currently have four funerals on our area and there are also twelve creches which are in dire need of water supply, let alone the water needs of the ordinary local residents,” she said.
“There’s a health risk element in our area due to lack of water because some residents have been completely without any water for 48 hours now,” she said.
Yet another lady resident told Tshwane Talks that water tankers stop only at certain houses whose occupants are said to be either sick, old or working for the City of Tshwane Municipality.
She stressed that when coming to the provision of water, there must not be any preferential treatment because all people need water irrespective of whether they are sick or healthy or unemployed.
Residents feel that local Ward Councillors are powerless regarding the issue of increasing the number of water tankers and that the whole water-provision process is controlled by one Sfiso, who is not even an employee or contractor of the City of Tshwane but is alleged to be the boyfriend of the lady who is the director of Bulk Water Division in the City of Tshwane.
One local Ward Councillor told residents that they must converge at one designated area near where they live to fetch water from the water tankers and must not expect the water tankers to make special stoppages at their respective homes because this exercise will deplete the diesel used to fuel the water tankers, and that the City of Tshwane Municipality can’t afford to spend more money to buy diesel on top of the funds that have already been allocated to do so.
The following are some of the allegations made against the City of Tshwane regarding its failure to deliver adequate water to all residents of Soshanguve during their agonising period:
1.Some water tankers just go to the hydrants but never fetch any water that should be delivered to the community, yet the owners of these water tankers bill the City of Tshwane for a service that has not been rendered.
2. Most water tankers are not roadworthy as they don’t have valid discs; their passenger doors can’t open and their water tanks are leaking.
In his response to queries sent to him by Tshwane Talks regarding the provision of more water tankers to residents, City of Tshwane MMC for Utilities Frans Boshielo nonchalantly responded as follows; as if there is no clear and present water crisis in Soshanguve:
“Rand Water is currently supplying water through a by-pass water pipeline to the area of Soshanguve and the City of Tshwane continues to provide water to the affected areas through alternative means such as water tankers,” said Boshielo.