Phalaborwa residents to seek interdict over water cuts
Members of the Phalaborwa
community is seeking an interdict against the Greater Mopani Municipality in
Limpopo after they have been without water for five days.
Resident Manie Kriel says water supply to households has been cut by 30%.
Kriel says they will approach the court on Monday or Tuesday.
"The lower areas get water, while the higher lying areas do not receive water. I haven't had any water for five days in my house.”
Kriel says they pay their accounts but due to mismanagement, the municipality has not been paying the water board.
"People are furious. I mean I haven’t had a decent shower for five days. You wash yourself with a bit of water that you get from the swimming pool. Brushing my teeth is a problem.”
The Mopani District has however denied that the water cuts are due to the debt owed to the Department of Water and Sanitation.
It has blamed the water cuts on routine maintenance.
ALSO READ: Minister releases lists of indebted municipalities facing water cuts
"We are experiencing low pressure and water shortages in Phalaborwa. On Tuesday we closed the Lepelle Northern plant which is the main source for water in Phalaborwa for 12 hours for routine maintenance.
Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says the maintenance could not be completed.
"This resulted in our reservoirs getting depleted because we did not pump water for over 24 hours. There is no water cuts from the department because our engagements with them are at an advanced stage. I must indicate that we do owe the department but we are not the department that is neglecting their debt.
"For this financial year we have paid the Department of Water and Sanitation over R70 million from our equitable debt. This has been historical debt that has been there for a while and we have a standing agreement with the Department with how we are going to offset this debt.”
The Mopani District has been named as one of the 30 municipalities that owe the Department of Water and Sanitation over R246 million.
Shikwambana says that water should be fully restored to affected areas in the next few days.
Last week, Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane announced in a press briefing that it would cut off water supply to all indebted municipalities.