Water is becoming a scarce commodity in Bronkhorstspruit as tensions are brewing between two communities in Zithobeni.
Residents of the Zithobeni Heights, an informal settlement, have been without water as their tanks have not been filled by the municipality for nearly three weeks. This forces them to go to a nearby formal settlement known as Marikana that has running water from some taps.
The settlements are divided by a gravel road with Marikana comprising mostly of RDP houses while Heights is made up of shacks.
A Marikana resident, who asked not to be named, said those with water had connected themselves to the grid at a fee.
“Now they want to come and get the water for free, it doesn’t work like that,” he said.
“They can make their own plans just like we did. Sometimes we get water cuts. Our water is not always available, so we have to use it wisely. If they want they can buy it from us."
Another resident of Marikana, Alamina Mbuyani,43, said water was fast becoming a scarce commodity in the area.
Mbuyani said since RDP houses were built with taps and toilets in 2016 no house had water and those that do had to pay.
“If you don’t have money you won’t have water. Only a select few have and they had to pay about R400. We cannot afford that. You are lucky if your neighbour is kind enough to let you use their water. ” she said.
An elderly couple from the Heights informal settlement, John Mahlangu, 83, and his wife Popi,68, said they had to hire their neighbour to collect water for them.
“We don't know what else to do. When we send the guy to get us water, he is chased away and now he has to walk a long distance to get us water. For that we have to give him some money,” said John.
“All we can get is just three 20l bottles just so we can cook and bath. We cannot do our laundry."
April Mahlangu, 43, who fetches water for the couple, said he was often chased away and threatened when he tried to ask for water.
“I have been threatened a few times when I tried to get water that side and I have, in some occasions, tried to negotiate. The first few times I did get water, but as more of us are starting to go there, they started chasing us away,” he said
“I now opt to walk about 5km with a wheelbarrow to an abandoned borehole at a farm. We just want water for the elderly and the children. They need it the most.”
Ward 105 councillor Jan Mahlangu said contractors that were appointed to fill up the water tanks had withheld their services as the City of Tshwane had not paid them in two months.
“So this breach of contract between the service provider and the City of Tshwane is affecting residents and this should not at any point be the case.
“I was told the city was in the process of paying these service providers, but I do not know when that will be done.
The councillor said this was one of many issues causing tension between the two communities, with illegal electricity connections being one of them.
“Some residents from the Heights have decided to connect themselves to the grid sourcing their electricity from Marikana. The tension between these two communities because the residents of Marikana are saying they cannot supply the Heights with electricity.”
City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said as far as he knew, the tanks were always full. “It (shortage) might be an isolated incident and residents are requested to report such cases to ward councillors,” said Mashigo
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