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Potentially Catasrophic SRV Crisis

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Water Crisis in Sundays River Valley during Covid-19 Pandemic potentially catastrophic

Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is extremely concerned about the Sunday River Valley Local Municipality’s (SRVLM) lack of urgency around finding a solution to the water crisis in Enon.

Residents of certain streets in Enon have been left without water for weeks while the government is calling on all South Africans to regularly wash their hands and pay attention to strict hygiene practices during the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

These streets include Emily Jacobs Street and parts of Kirkwoord Way and School Street.

The Enon community has been struggling with water issues to these streets since December 2019 and ensuring water availability has been an ongoing battle. Water will flow through the pipes to these streets once every three weeks.

The municipality placed two water tanks in the community, but these tanks can only be filled if signed off by the ANC ward councillor. When the tanks are empty the local residents make use of rain water or go and fetch water from houses that still have running water.

The ineptitude and uncaring nature of the ANC-led local government is highlighted by the fact that the municipality is unsure as to what is causing the problem.

It is believed that the problem is being caused by the collapse of the underground water reticulation system pipes. These pipes have not been maintained over the last 20 years and have possibly broken down to the extent that the whole system supplying water to parts of Church and Emily Jacobs Streets will need to be replaced.

I have sent e-mails and almost daily Whatsapp messages to SRVLM officials, made numerous phone calls and even met with both the Municipal Manager and the Acting Technical Director in order to address this issue.

These appeals for help have fallen on the deaf ears of an ANC government that has shown it does not care about helping the people.

The municipality must provide residents with running water, but is not forthcoming with extensive information, concrete plans or timelines regarding how and when this issue will be fixed.

I will write to DA Eastern Cape Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Vicky Knoetze, MPL, and request of her to bring this issue under the attention of the provincial government.

The consequences of not having water in the time of a national disaster can be even more catastrophic to the health of residents and the future of the country.

The provision of sufficient and potable water is a basic human right, but due to the lack of infrastructure maintenance by the Sundays River Valley Municipality, a community is being deprived of this right.

Regards

Minette Bosman Cllr
Sundays River Valley Local Municipality

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