Water woes on the rise

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - During the past week many residents had to make do with dirty, smelly water, and in many cases no water, as the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality faced a municipal strike, electricity supply problems, vandalism and theft.

Adendorp and Kroonvale experienced water shortages and interruptions when an electricity supply fault at the Mimosadale well field caused a drop in water levels.

On Tuesday the municipality reported two separate incidents of vandalism and theft of municipal assets in Graaff-Reinet on its Facebook page. Borehole cables were stolen in the Northern well field, causing water supply problems in Horseshoe and Umasizakhe, while a water pipe was vandalised at Tweededrift, resulting in a huge leak and water interruptions in Kroonvale. The municipality urged consumers to use water sparingly.

Facebook users were unsympathetic to the municipality's woes and in response to a municipal post stating that service delivery in town is being delayed due to operational challenges, Facebook user Handri Vorster replied: "Service delivery has been delayed for years."

Borehole cables were stolen in the Northern well field.

In response to the post about the stolen borehole cables, Lundi Junior August, replied: "Maybe they relocated it to Graaff-Reinet's township, seeing as they have been out of water for the past two years. And the only excuse from the municipality is a broken pump."

Another Facebook user, Dorisca Coertzen Bosch, wrote that her taps have been dry since the weekend and that she has been unable to get any answers from the municipality.

Residents are not alone in having to deal with an uncommunicative municipality, as most of the Advertiser's requests for information also go unanswered.

However, on Friday 26 February, a query by the Advertiser about a blocked manhole near Noord Street causing a sewage spill in Market Square, seemed to pay off. We were notified by the municipality less than 24 hours later that the problem had been attended to.

But, it could also have been due to the efforts of Councillor Ricardo Smith who reported the sewage spill to the municipality more than once.

A water pipe was vandalised at Tweededrift.