Durban — Residents of Folweni, south of Durban, blocked the M35 road with burning tyres and broken glass bottles yesterday, to protest against having had no water supply since November.
The M35 is the main road people living in Umbumbulu, Adams Mission and Folweni use to access Isipingo and Umlazi.
Consistent power outages are also plaguing the area, which falls under eThekwini ward 95. Residents claimed that on Christmas Day they used rainwater.
Resident Mancane Khumalo said they usually went out on the streets with other community members to stop water tankers driving past to ask them for water.
“Even that is a problem, because drivers are always saying they are not allowed to do this,” explained Khumalo.
She claimed ward councillor Thokozani Xulu seemed to not care about their plight.
“We once tried to ask him to organise water tankers to come to this area, but he has never done that. When you call him, he becomes rude or blocks your number,” claimed Khumalo.
She said the police who attended the protest scene tried several times to get the ward councillor to come and talk to the residents, but Xulu’s phone apparently rang unanswered and eventually it went to voicemail.
Khumalo added that the shortage of water was also causing the local clinic to give limited service, because the toilets were not working without water.
Another resident, Nokuthula Ndlovu, said it was also difficult for children to attend school.
“We’ve had enough. We do not want water from the water truck, because the kids have a rash now. Water must come out from the taps,” said Ndlovu.
Resident Bongiwe Zulu said they sometimes didn’t have water to bath. Zulu said it was painful for them to see water tankers passing through their area, while they had no water.
When the Daily News spoke to ward councillor Xulu, he said he wasn’t an electrician and laughed when asked about the challenges the community was facing. He dropped the call.
The eThekwini Municipality did not answer questions that were sent to them.
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News