Residents in Newtown, Inanda, demonstrate over their three-month-old water-related issues. | Supplied
Durban — Private companies that were supplying water to Inanda residents north of Durban have stopped because the City was failing to pay them.
This was revealed to the Daily News by the residents during their protest.
Speaking on behalf of the residents on Monday, Mabuyi Mdluli said the area had not had water for more than three months but the City had been supplying water through privately owned water tankers which stopped last month because the municipality had not paid them.
She said they decided to stage a protest because the water tankers stopped on June 29. The drivers told them they were told there would be no water supplies anymore since the City had not paid the private companies.
Mdluli added that after the tankers failed to return, they contacted ward 56 councillor Siyabonga Ntombela, who told them there was nothing he could do because the municipality had not paid for the water tankers.
“It’s been almost three months without water. We used to get water tankers but they last delivered water on June 29 and Ntombela told us he was aware of the problem but there was nothing he could do because the municipality had a payment issue with the water tankers’ owner. We want the City to restore water in our taps,” said Mdluli.
On Sunday the area was visited by mayor Cyril Xaba, who said he wanted to receive a first-hand report on inherent water challenges confronting that community.
Xaba vowed to seek answers from the relevant administrators as to why water challenges still persist in some areas of the municipality.
In a statement on Sunday, the City said the community welcomed the mayor’s visit and committed to working with him to find long-lasting solutions to the water challenges and other service delivery issues.
The City added that water interruptions in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu areas were due to water loss through leaks and vandalism, which the community was not reporting.
Ntombela said he was aware of the water issue in the area and a total of 10 areas were affected in that ward.
“The issue is at the reserves, also the municipality has not paid the water tank trucks and that is why the water was not delivered.
“When they do deliver water they bring three water tankers, which is not enough to supply all the areas. I have communicated this to the municipality,” Ntombela said.
Water and Sanitation Unit head Neil Macleod said some of the challenges would be addressed by the Western Aqueduct which is under construction.
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