Mtunzini townsfolk face 15-day water blackout as municipality works to restore supply

Mtunzini residents, businesses and a local school have been affected by ongoing water supply interruptions after some parts of the town went without water for 15 days this month.

Households and businesses strained

People in Mtunzini reported mounting frustration and extra costs as the local authority, King Cetshwayo District Municipality (KCDM), continued working to restore normal water services. Residents said communication from authorities had been limited.

“Complaints are not attended to and the call centre could not give us any updates,”

said Mtunzini resident Sune van der Merwe.

Van der Merwe said she pays between R400 and R500 a month for water but has had to spend additional money when supply is interrupted. A coffee shop owner who asked not to be named said the shortage severely affected her business, forcing her to use water from her swimming pool to keep toilets operational and to close for a full day.

School closures and improvised solutions

The water interruption also affected an education facility. Step Up Learning Centre principal Taryn de Billot said the centre closed for 10 days because of hygiene concerns and asked parents to bring water from their swimming pools to help cope.

Municipality response

KCDM communications manager Thami Shangase said the municipality was working to restore supply and that

“Water should be fully restored by tomorrow.”

Shangase attributed the problem to burst valves and a malfunctioning pump due to the recent rains. He also said the municipality had set aside R6.9m to replace asbestos pipes in Mtunzini and allocated R8.8m for a sewer upgrade.

Community impact

Residents and business owners said relying on water tankers was not a sustainable solution. One resident summed up the community sentiment:

“This problem must be fixed. The whole community cannot rely on water tankers.”