BERGVILLE residents in KZN say they share water with animals.
Water tankers have not been delivering water since September.
What makes matters worse is that Mubhulesini is a stone’s throw away from big uThukela water supply scheme.
Musa Manzini (46) from ward 5 said they’d been waiting since last year for mayor Siphiwe Mazibuko from Uthukela Municipality to come and address the water problems. Musa said he had learnt from reliable sources in the municipality that there was no money.
“That’s why the municipality stopped sending water tankers,” said Manzini.
He said residents didn’t understand why they couldn’t access water.
“We really don’t understand why the municipality is failing to draw water from the nearby dam and supply our village,”
said Musa.
Ward councillor Sifiso Mlambo admitted that they had water challenges, but claimed he was addressing the problem.
He said although he could not speak for the municipality, his area lacked water infrastructure which as a councillor he could do little about.
“You’ll understand that water service delivery projects belong to the district municipality, not the local municipality,”
he said.
“But we can’t fold our arms as it’s our communities that are affected.”
Mlambo said he had been in contact with the district municipality since last October over the issue and believed it would be resolved soon.
“As to why we’re not getting water from the nearby dam, please direct that to the district.” Mayor Siphiwe Mazibuko said he was aware of the problem.
“We’ve put aside a budget for water and infrastructure for this area,” he said.