The Democratic Alliance (DA) in uMshwathi Local Municipality has written to uMgungundlovu District Deputy Mayor, Cllr Sibongile Dlamini calling for her intervention in the cases of illegal water connections in the municipality which has deprived residents of water.
People in the municipality have not had water for days on end after the municipality decided to cut off the water due to illegal connections. This is the fourth time this has happened within a short space of time. Previously the DA held a peaceful protest and liaised with the uMshwathi Mayor. At the time he was able to assist but the situation has seemingly again gotten out of control.
One of our greatest concerns is that the perpetrators are known to the community and they have been reported but no arrests or any legal actions have been taken against them. They are committing these crimes in broad daylight because they have no respect for the law and the municipality is doing nothing about this.
The municipality suggesting that the community should have to deal with this on their own is an incitement of violence, which we cannot afford especially during these trying times.
The municipality has also done little to nothing to provide alternative water resources in the meantime. Municipal water tankers are gathering dust at the depot while thousands of households are without water.
For a municipality that has been preaching about the importance of adhering to government measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is baffling to know that they can barely provide people with a simple basic service such as water. To frequently wash hands, people need water.
The Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the municipality’s incapability to deliver services and deal with issues hindering service delivery. Unfortunately, taxpayers are the ones who have to deal with the consequences.
We have given the Deputy Mayor 14 days to respond to our request. Failure to do so will leave us with no choice but to take legal action against them for failing to do what they are mandated to do.