Mpumalanga community deserves relief from protracted water crisis – IRR
The Mpumalanga communities of Bethal and Emzinoni have experienced grave deficiencies relating to their water supply, and deserve urgent relief, says the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) after meeting with community members, as well as with the mayor of Govan Mbeki Municipality, Nhlakanipho Zuma.
The Institute visited the Mpumalanga communities in December last year, following the publication of a short IRR report on the imminent water crisis in Gauteng. In the weeks after publication of the report, Gauteng began experiencing water throttling, prompting the IRR to look into how similarly affected communities in the wider region were being affected. The towns of Bethal and Emzinoni leapt out as cases worthy of closer examination.
Says IRR Campaign Manager Makone Maja: “Having received countless reports about just how long these communities had been compelled to endure water shortages and constant interruptions of water supply, we decided to approach individuals and businesses in the community to establish what their experiences were. We also decided to raise these issues with the mayor, Councillor Zuma, who was receptive to our visit.
“When we reached out to local businesses to get a better idea of how the frequent interruptions in water supply were affecting them, they declined to speak to us on camera for fear of reprisals,” Maja adds.
Maja comments that the common sentiment among these business owners is that the lack of water has been near to fatal for their businesses.
“The businesses we approached ranged from a butchery, a salon and a laundromat to lodges and restaurants,” says Maja.
“They were trying to proof themselves against government failure by installing JoJo tanks and having them filled regularly during the day. It was costing them additional sums of money and labour to ensure they had at least the basic water-related facilities needed to keep their establishments running. But not all businesses have the financial resources to implement these solutions."
Among the residents interviewed was Councillor Sibongile Mathebula of the Democratic Alliance. She described her own personal struggle with a lack of water, including the illness of a family member arising from the crisis.
Mayor Nhlakanipho Zuma availed himself for an extensive discussion with the IRR, in which he described the administrative challenges the municipality faced in providing water to its residents.
These challenges include the debt owed to Rand Water, with a repayment plan that eats into its other budgets, including maintenance, which will likely produce knock-on effects. The lack of adequate infrastructure to cater to all, as well as the over 40 informal settlements in the municipality, means additional water has to be provided via water tankers.
Mayor Zuma told the IRR he was committed to providing a speedy and lasting solution to the community’s recurring water shortages.
Maja says the municipality must prioritise permanent solutions to the water crisis, and restoring the dignity of the people of Bethal and Emzinoni.
View the video on the IRR’s visit to Mpumalanga here.
The report on the Gauteng Water Crisis can be accessed here.
Media contact: Makone Maja, IRR Campaign Manager Tel: 079 418 6676 Email: makone@irr.org.za
Media enquiries: Michael Morris Tel: 066 302 1968 Email: michael@irr.org.za