The national water crisis has reached boiling proportions, with angry residents of Seshego bringing the largest township in Limpopo to a standstill. Like in most parts of Gauteng, residents of Polokwane municipality are bearing the full brunt of dehydration with no end sight for thousands of parched households. In recent months, the City of Polokwane and its surrounding suburbs have experienced water shortages due to non-maintenance of infrastructure and system failures by utility Lepelle Northern Water.

FRUSTRATED RESIDENTS

The water utility has faced constant breakdowns of infrastructure and systems at its two main water plants, Olifantspoort and Ebenezer. This week scores of fuming residents braved the scorching sun and took their grievances to the streets where movement was withheld. Commuters were left stranded, unable to go to work, schools and health facilities as roads were barricaded with rocks and tree trunks.

MAJOR ROUTES BLOCKED

An ambulance was trapped on a rock-strewn road leading to Seshego Hospital as the raging mob made its intention clear to render the municipality ungovernable. Commuters using the municipality's bus, Leeto la Polokwane. said the water crisis has spiralled out of control after angry residents blocked all the routes designated for the bus. The taxi industry was also affected amid the total shutdown.

PREGNANT WOMAN SUFFERS

A pregnant woman said she was forced to leave her car 500 metres away from Seshego hospital because the road leading to the health facility was littered with big rocks. Maggie Sethole said she tried to seek help from an ambulance driver but the emergency medical vehicle was also stuck.  She said "I left home without bathing and now I'm told that the hospital is facing a serious water problem. Polokwane is now facing major crisis ranging from water shortage, transport interruption, power outages and gross administrative malfeasance. It is unfortunate because we still have to pay huge water bills at the end of the month.'

AGEING INFRASTRUCTURE

Vincent Kunutu, leader of the Seshego Community Against Crime and Gangsterism said they have constantly engaged the municipality on the water crisis but their pleas fell on deaf ears. "This shortage of water has been going on for months and it's clear that the council is not prepared to listen to us. Due to this crisis, our hygiene is compromised because we are always dirty. Several businesses had to close because of this recurring problem which we don't know when it will end' said Kunutu.   Meanwhile, Polokwane Executive Mayor John Mpe laid the blame on Lepelle Northern Water for breaching contractual obligations to supply the city and its surrounds with an agreed specified amount of water per day. Mpe said: "The challenge is that Lepelle Northern Water has not been honouring its contractual obligation. For the past six months, the pumps at Lepelle Northern Water have been taken in for repairs and were never returned. The water utility was only pumping 30% of the 100% required to pump to Polokwane. Reliability of service had deteriorated in Polokwane, hence measures to restore services must be implemented immediately."Dr Cornelius Ruiters, Lepelle Northern Water CEO, said the Lepelle Northern Water Board needs an additional budget to repair the ageing infrastructure at its water plants.