Amazing — election water!
Taps that had not flowed in years suddenly sprang to life, a week before the election in May.
This was in Mbande village, 10km from Dutywa.
The taps were dry for five years before that, and no amount of petitioning, lobbying and protesting changed it.
Yet, a week before the elections they flowed like champagne.
A few days after voting, the water stopped flowing.
Residents are furious.
“We were played!” said pensioner Nocwaka Mphamba, 66.
“We voted believing we now had water, but after we voted the water stopped.
“That water was clean. We rushed to fill our drums and buckets.
“It seems clear there is water — and that there is a way to fix whatever is wrong."
The infrastructure has been there so long people can't remember when it was installed.
Yet, they buy water from donkey carters at R50 for a 120l drum.
Life without water is terrible, especially next to a perfectly fine reticulation system.
“We are suffering. If you have a funeral, the municipality will bring water, but when we have a ceremony we must hire donkeys to fetch water from the same river where diapers are dumped,” Mphamba said.
Pensioner Zamubuntu Nqola said that before the water infrastructure was installed, the village was supplied by a windmill pump from a borehole.
“We were getting water without glitches during that time and even when the pipe from the windmill was damaged it would be fixed within a month and we would get water.
“That was before all the political parties and councillors got involved.”
Both Nqola and Mphamba said they felt used by politicians.
“When voting time comes, municipal people talk nice and make promises,” Nqola said.
Nosipho Sigayi said elderly women who lived alone or with small grandchildren were hit hardest by dry taps.
“Those who can, use their grant money to buy water.
“Others cannot afford it and have to go to the river.
“They are not safe. Anything can happen there. The river is far from home.
“We need urgent intervention. We cannot continue to live like this,” she said.
Amathole district municipality mayor Anele Ntsangani told the Dispatch team that water infrastructure projects were under way and in the planning pipeline.
“It is important that everyone has access to water. The challenge we are facing is damage to our infrastructure.
“We use huge amounts of money buying water pumps and they get vandalised within a few weeks.
“There are still villages without water.
“We are considering desalination as an option. Ultimately we will win the fight against the water shortage, but it will take time,” he said.
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