For the past six weeks, Sibusiso Zulu has survived on water from a stream cutting through the township of Tsakane, Ekurhuleni.
The little stream looks clean to the naked eye but putting water into a clean bucket shows how dirty the water is.
To Zulu, who lives in Tsakane Ext 13, it is the closest source of water and he walks for 30 minutes to collect it.
Zulu survives by washing cars in the township, a business that requires a lot of water. For him to be able to feed his five siblings, he must wash a vehicle every hour. He charges R50 per car and R70 per taxi.
We can see that the water is not clean but what option do we have? Some of the residents have reached a point where they drink this water
— Sibusiso Zulu, car-washer
“I walk a long distance to come here. I have to get water to wash cars. Most people know the area has no water and there are fewer customers. I also have to get water for the rest of the family.
“We can see that the water is not clean but what option do we have? Some of the residents have reached a point where they drink this water. It is unacceptable what we are made to endure.”
Not far from where Zulu collected water this week was a group of women buying clean water from a local entrepreneur.
“What can we say? Do we have options? We have not had water for a long time and no-one seems to care. I’m tired of talking about it. What difference will it make?” said an angry Tryphina Tshabalala.
About 2km away, Siphiwe Ruiter and his neighbour Jabulani Dladla were pushing a trolley laden with buckets of water.
“We are supplied by water tankers. They do not have a scheduled time at which they arrive. You see people running and realise trucks are here. It has been tough living without water. The toilets are a big problem. We have children in our homes who need water every day.
“When we asked the municipality, they told us that there is a problem with filling the reservoir, whatever that means ... What we are going through is sh**,” Ruiter fumed.
Furious residents blockaded roads in the township this week demanding that water be restored. Police fired rubber bullets at those preventing others from leaving or entering the township.
Parts of Etwatwa have also not had water for more than a month.
“It is really tough. I have four children who are going to school and one grandson who is five months old. Imagine how life has been without water,” said resident Esther Skhosana.
“I just did the laundry. It took eight of the 10-litre containers to do. I have to refill all of them for tomorrow.”
When the water tankers fail to pitch up, her husband has to drive to another part of Etwatwa to get water.
Ekurhuleni's MMC for water, energy and sanitation, Leshaka Manamela, said the problem in Tsakane and Etwatwa was the supply from Rand Water.
“From August 18, we started having serious water challenges but after our own internal investigations we became aware that Rand Water is not delivering sufficient water — as was agreed in the contract we have for bulk water supply.
“We tried reaching out to Rand Water but they kept on giving us excuses... We found that Rand Water had not stuck to that agreement. .”
Manamela said Rand Water had since corrected the situation and supply was improving. The situation should return to normal by tomorrow, he said.
Rand Water did not respond to numerous requests for comment.
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