All three pumps supplying water to Mothutlung near Brits in North West have been fixed, Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Friday. Protesters claimed they had been without water for at least three months.
Three people have died in a service delivery protest, which followed the interruption of the area’s water supply.
Madibeng local municipality spokeswoman Lebogang Tsogang said they did not have enough reservoirs.
“The infrastructure has aged. It was built a long time ago and it was not designed to deal with such a huge population that we have in this municipality.”
Residents said the frequent interruption of water supply in the area had made their lives difficult.
“The government must do everything in its power to solve this problem. We are suffering. As I’m talking to you, I’m thirsty, but I don’t have water to drink,” said Refilwe Letlape.
Another resident said the municipality had not even bothered to inform them what had caused the problem, until their protest.
“This can’t be right. Every time we want our voices to be heard, there must be service delivery protests first. Now people have died.
“How is the government going to undo this? People have died because they wanted water, a basic right,” she said.
Read articles:
- http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Mothutlung-water-flowing-Molewa-20140117
- http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/water-infrastructure-can-t-supply-demand-1.1632366#.UtlEjKGxWb8
