The eThekwini Municipality is facing a crippling shortage of fresh and clean water in some areas. Now the Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus in the Municipal Council has called on the Water and Sanitation Minister and wrote to eThekwini metro’s head of water and sanitation to intervene, as parts of the city and surrounding area spend a second week with out fresh water.
The metro has issued a public notice saying it was aware of the water issue. In a statement, DA eThekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said he wrote to eThekwini’s head of water and sanitation Ednick Msweli, asking for more water tankers to be made available to communities in the northern parts of eThekwini. Mthethwa said areas including Newlands, Ntuzuma, uMhlanga, Verulam and Phoenix spent two weeks without running water in their taps. “We have received numerous complaints from distressed residents regarding the metro’s failure to provide temporary relief, including a shortage of water tankers,” Mthethwa said. He said according to uMngeni-uThukela Water, the water outages are due to filters being clogged by algae at the Durban Heights Water-Treatment Works.
Mthethwa said the DA has also engaged with the DA Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Isaac Seitlholo to request that he intervene to ensure that uMngeni-uThukela addresses the matter speedily and avoids similar incidents, going forward.
This is a job for the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial administration. It is their concern between the local and national levels to facilitate the water relief for municipalities facing this situation. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina should coordinate her response with the KZN Provincial department and MEC for Health Nomgugu Simelane. It is shocking that as we advance with our calls to accelerate advance technologies of the Fourth industrial Revolution (4IR) we cannot come up with a way to collect water for local communities along a decentralized grid. Minister Majodina and Msweli need to cooperate with the Provincial department to deliver water tankards to those areas of eThekwini that do not have them. Water makes up 60 percent of the body, and dehydration leads to a lack of concentration and poor memory.
The DA although they may not be right about everything, is correct in this regard. By connecting all the relevant parties in both the local and national levels, they have reminded their respected colleagues that all is not well in government. Meanwhile many wealthy Durban residents have planned to move to the coastal areas from the interior of the land.
According to Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, Coastal Towns have been far more popular than inland areas ever since remote working became more prevalent and service delivery has dropped in several inland municipalities. Convenience in terms of location and proximity to good schools, retail centres and medical facilities such as hospitals has become the highest priority for many residential property buyers, coupled with a general leaning towards secure estate living, says Carol Reynolds, a Pam Golding Properties area principal for Durban Coastal. Consequently, says Reynolds, residential areas which offer an array of amenities such as La Lucia – with its secure estates and complexes, uMhlanga and Durban North are in high demand, while upmarket Sibaya also continues to gain traction given its proximity to King Shaka International Airport, and its new infrastructure, including the new Marine Walk shopping centre, which appeals to those seeking a pristine, managed precinct.
This shows there is a desire by those residents who can afford it to move to the coast, this in a time of hyper-inflation. Durban residents are now flocking to areas that have a view of the sae. This is said to be good for the health. The residents also have a deep interest in security and peace. In other words, no gang violence, organized crime or crime in general. The attractiveness of coastal areas can also be attributed to having a calming effect on those who live there. Improvements in technology have also opened up the possibility of working from home and therefore over long distances. However, it also illustrates the gap between rich and poor and what the state needs to do to alleviate that. The rich are attracted to areas that give them certain advantages such as access to transport for example the airport.
The amenities offered by the coastal areas should not serve as a tool of isolation from those suffering inland, i.e., the water crisis. It is up to participating in civil society to alleviate this as well as government.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
