Tensions are still high at Tumahole township outside Parys in the Free State where residents have been protesting since Monday over lack of water. Major roads are blocked, learners are not able to go to school and shops are closed. The community burned municipal offices where rates and taxes are paid and the Mayor's family home was torched.

HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE

Police are out in force in Nyalas using rubber bullets trying to keep protesters from having access to the town to avoid looting incidents. ZiMoja visited the small town on Tuesday and protesters could be seen trying to go into town but the police continuously shoots rubber bullets to stop them. While other residents are giving the police a hard time, the rest are trying to find spots where they can get water. They walk to nearby veldt where there are wells while others go to houses close to town to ask for water. They are visibly frustrated and thirsty as they walk lengthy distances to get water.

DRINKING DIRTY WATER

Residents told ZiMoja that their toilets inside their houses are infested with flies and smelling because they don't have water to flush. Mathapelo Masika says this has been an ongoing problem for over a decade. She said if they are lucky, they have water for two days in a week and it normally comes at night for a short period of time.

"We have to be on high alert at all times so that we can fill up our buckets and water containers otherwise we will be frustrated for days without a drop of water from our taps,' Masika said. She added that it would have been better to get clean water on those two days, but they usually get muddy water. "They take us for fools, each administration that comes buys the Jojo tanks in different colours as if it makes a difference. They don't deal with the core problem, all they do is to use little money for water tankers and loot the rest,' she added.

Another resident, Dikeledi Mmuso said nobody cares about them or delivering services to them. "The politicians live lavishly and we the voters are suffering. Nobody even bothers telling us what's going on or giving us updates that they are fixing the situation. They only speak to us when we retaliate like this. Somebody needs to account and take responsibility for what's going on or else we will continue living like this."

COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION

Civil right organisation AfriForum in Parys said they are not surprised by the protest and are of the opinion that the situation could have been avoided. The Ngwathe municipality signed an agreement with AfriForum about 18 months ago where the organisation was to provide the municipality with plans to get the water works as well as the sewage works in good working condition. The organisation even attached a cost estimate to these plans, but to date the municipality has not acted on any of the recommendations.  The protests are still ongoing.