RESIDENTS of KwaNobuhle in Kariega, Eastern Cape, only answer nature’s call when they are really desperate.
This is because they haven’t been able to flush their toilets for three months because there is no running water.
Resident Monde Plaatjies (62) said they were sometimes forced to use a bucket to relieve themselves.
“People can’t use the little water they have to flush the toilet because water tankers come after a day or two,” he said.
Another resident Nosipho Stofile (60) said: “We are a family of four and it is difficult to live without water. We used to get water between 2am and 5am before it was cut completely in February. We’re frustrated with this situation. We want the municipality to intervene and make sure that water tankers visit our areas regularly because they are no longer visiting us daily.”
Nelson Mandela Bay spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said: “The metro is counting days before half of the city runs dry. If no significant rain falls in the catchment areas in the coming days, the city will be faced with an unprecedented water disaster. The areas that will be affected by the water outage constitute 40% of the city and include the western suburbs, Summerstrand, Blue Horizon Bay, KwaNobuhle and peri-urban areas such as Greenbushes and St Albans.”
Mniki urged residents to reduce their consumption to the lowest possible percentage.
He said they were aware some parts of the area have had no water for some time and they have been sending water tank trucks to help the community.