At the heart of service delivery issues plaguing Phuthaditjhaba, in the Free State, is water scarcity.
The taps dry up for months with truck water-tankers usually being the dominant source for many residents.
When the trucks don’t come, some are forced to go to the river.
Malerato Ntseki makes her way back from the river, after giving up on the water tankers that supplies the residents.
Her tap at home has been dry for months.
Malerato Ntseki, a resident in the area, said, “the last time my tap had running water was after Good Friday. We get water from the water tankers. When they don’t arrive, we struggle and go to the river.”
“Right now we don’t have anything. The trucks arrive when we’ve had nothing for a while, there’s no one who has water here.”
Abraham Shabangu too is one of many residents that has to search for water.
Shabangu said, “we don’t have any water. The taps are dry. No one has water in this area. We go around asking for water wherever we can find it. There’s a township that helped us recently, even their water has since run out”.
The water tankers struggle to reach many residents and government admits they’re not a sustainable solution.
During an oversight visit by the Deputy President, the water and sanitation department couldn’t give timelines on when the Phuthaditjhaba water crisis will be resolved.
Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said, “from the point of view of the Department it is something that’s not attainable for that to happen, but you must remember that- the projects that we do are long term.”
Deputy President David Mabuza vowed to come back next month, but this time with the Water and Sanitation Minister.
Source: eNCA
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