2 weeks Ago
Buffalo City Metro has turned to the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) for help in addressing its crippling water crisis, mayor Princess Faku announced on Saturday. The move comes as residents continue to suffer frequent water cuts and disruptions, with some areas going without water for days. Faku’s spokesperson, Bongani Fuzile, said vandalism, illegal connections and ageing infrastructure were the primary causes of the crisis.
“These challenges have exacerbated the inability of the municipality to provide a reliable and sustainable water supply to affected communities, thereby necessitating immediate and expert intervention,” he said. The supply challenges are particularly acute in areas under the authority of the Amatola Water Board, which supplies water to communities such as Kaysers Beach, Ncera and the Qonce villages. “The challenges affecting the water board, in turn, impact our ability to provide consistent water supply, resulting in frequent water cuts in areas like Kaysers Beach, Ncera and the King Williams Town [Qonce] villages,” Fuzile said.
MISA will assign two technical experts on a part-time basis to help the municipality identify potential failures and recommend solutions. The move is expected to bring much-needed relief to residents who have been plagued by water woes. “The municipality is also addressing failures within the fleet services department, which results in hiring of water tankers, by establishing a technical committee to develop a comprehensive fleet management system,” Fuzile said.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane and water and sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina have thrown their weight behind efforts to resolve the water crisis. Ongoing conflict between the Amatola Water Board and labour union Samwu has also been blamed for the recurring outages and low supply in the metro, leading to mounting resident frustration. The tension comes after a fallout between acting chief executive Lindokuhle Nzoyi and SA Municipal Workers Union Amathole regional secretary Luthando Juju.
Juju alleged in March that Nzoyi was intimidating union members at the institution and had roped in prominent taxi boss Simphiwe “Gabs” Mtshala, whom union leaders claim has waded into labour disputes at the embattled water board. Ten union members, who were protesting against the move, were suspended, heightening the tensions, and this has led to water supply disruptions. Daily Dispatch.
