eThekwini calls for patience as oThongathi runs dry

Residents collect water from a water tanker in oThongathi. Picture: Khaya Ngwenya/African News Agency (ANA)

Residents collect water from a water tanker in oThongathi. Picture: Khaya Ngwenya/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Nov 20, 2022

Share

Durban – eThekwini Municipality has blamed the water outages in oThongathi and surrounding areas on pipe bursts.

Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela has called for patience among the residents of oThongathi who have been besieged by water crises over the past few days.

The Mercury understands that supply was affected in several areas that include oThongathi, Waterloo, Southridge, Lotusville, Brindhaven and Cordoba Gardens.

Mayisela said: “Our infrastructure was damaged by the storm and about 90% of the water has been restored in areas (affected by the storm). As we continue to restore supplies, some of our pipes burst,” he said, giving an assurance that the city was working to resolve the problem.

A resident in the Waterloo area who said her water had been out since Friday.

“The supplies were restored (at around 12 noon on Sunday) we are not sure we told a water pipe had burst,” she said.

Councillors had expressed concerns that their areas are without water and there had been no explanation forthcoming on the problem.

“I have posted a query to all city leadership including officials, heads, deputy city managers, the city manager, mayor, deputy mayor, etc regarding the outages in Tongaat and Verulam. The officials are not responding for days now on what the actual cause is,” said DA councillor Yogis Govender.