WATCH: DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen outlines R10bn plan to tackle eThekwini water crisis - IOL

DA eThekwini Mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen addresses a major public-interest issue: water outages, leaks and tanker dependence.

DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen has outlined a proposed R10bn pipe-replacement programme and other measures to address water outages, leaks and tanker-related complaints raised by residents’ associations.

He responded to concerns raised by the Umhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association and the Westville Ratepayers Association over persistent water supply problems in their respective areas.

This, as pressure mounts on the eThekwini Municipality to address ongoing infrastructure challenges. 

The DA’s manifesto has identified the city’s water crisis as a key issue requiring urgent intervention.

Residents are now seeking clarity on how the party plans to stabilise supply, repair ageing infrastructure and ensure that ratepayers receive reliable services. 

Hoosen has responded to their questions, outlining how the DA intended on tackling the challenges should he take office.

Terri MacLarty, chairperson of the uMhlanga Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (URRA), has raised concerns about the pressure rapid development is placing on existing infrastructure in the area, particularly the water network.

MacLarty highlighted the residents’ frustration over ongoing water interruptions despite paying high municipal rates.

“We have water interruptions regularly, the infrastructure is just terrible, especially on Ridge Road. We have burst pipes there multiple times and it takes a long while to fix because there are either disputes with the plumbers or just slow reaction time from the municipality,” MacLarty said. 

She said residents had been experiencing water-related problems for about three years, with the situation worsening over the past six months. 

“Our infrastructure needs maintenance because we cannot continue to live this nightmare. Our area is also a tourist area. We will have guests staying in upmarket places but have no water. It is ridiculous,” she said.

MacLarty also questioned the continued increases in municipal rates, saying residents were paying for services they were not consistently receiving. 

She said some households paid R3,000 or more in rates depending on the size of their property, while ongoing water problems were affecting property values.

 “We are also the highest metro for rates, water and electricity. When we ask why we are paying such high rates, they say climate change, but that is a global issue, not just one area,” she said.

“We need a properly run local government so we can fix our issues. We are paying for services we do not receive. Our day-to-day services are just not being delivered.”

Q: “If the DA were to take office, what specific measures would you introduce to stabilise water supply in Umhlanga and ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with development?”

A: “From day one we will start working on a pipe replacement and repair programme. We intend rolling out R10bn towards this project. The main cause of the massive water crisis in the city is the ageing infrastructure and this has been neglected by the city for decades. We have been raising this issue with the city for decades but it has fallen on deaf ears.”

Q: How would your administration prioritise and fund the maintenance and upgrading of the water infrastructure in areas such as Umhlanga, particularly where residents are told there is insufficient budget for repairs?

A: “The eThekwini municipality has an outstanding and growing debt of R50 billionn which they failed to collect from government departments and other debtors. We plan to run an aggressive debt recovery program and redirect that funding towards the pipe replacement project. In addition we would redirect all wasteful, unnecessary and non-essential expenditure towards this programme. Given the extent and seriousness of the water crisis in Durban, it is going to require an extraordinary amount of focus and sacrifice to prevent the increasing amount of water being lost to the city residents.”

Q: Where would the funding come from for urgent water infrastructure repairs and upgrades, and would this require reallocating funds from other municipal programmes?

A: “We will be auditing every line item that incurs expenditure and determine its necessity under the current circumstances. Money set aside for parties, functions and picnics as is the case currently will be cancelled and redirected towards fixing the pipes.”

Pat Reddy of the Westville Ratepayers Association has raised concerns over recurring burst pipes, leaking meters and prolonged water outages, saying residents are increasingly frustrated by seeing large volumes of water flowing into the streets while their taps remain dry. 

Reddy questioned the deterioration of the water infrastructure that had become particularly concerning over the past six months, with residents reporting leaks that can take up to two weeks to be repaired.

He also raised concerns about what residents have described as a “water mafia” allegedly taking control of municipal water tankers and demanding payment for water that is meant to be provided free of charge. 

“It is a sad sight to see water tankers being held hostage while people need water. Councillors are meant to escort the tankers around the areas that need water but that is hardly the case. Many times we are told that the tanker driver is left to their own devices and ends up asking for money for the water which is supposed to be given for free,” he said. 

Reddy said a lack of monitoring and consequences had allowed the practice to continue.

“Our water infrastructure is the issue, we escalate one leak a day. We are then told to minimize water usage because of the bursts but that is not fixing the problem, it is passing the blame to us ratepayers,” Reddy said. 

He added that residents had been raising concerns about water supply for more than a decade and questioned why they continued to rely on tankers despite paying their municipal bills. 

“Water is a critical part of life and to wait days for it to be restored is unacceptable. Challenges should be addressed, we have had water issues for more than 10 years. We have had enough time to fix these issues.”

Q: What would a DA-led administration do to reduce the response and repair times for burst pipes, and would you commit to a maximum turnaround time for restoring water where technically feasible?

A: “If we are serious about reducing water waste in the city, we have to fix the leaks as quickly as possible and not months as is currently the case. We have been offered technology from a leading company in this field who is willing to assist the city in identifying and locating leaks that the city spent know about currently. We also intend to take up the myriad of offers from the private sector who have approached us to contribute towards reducing the water loss in the city.”

Q: What changes would you make to the municipality's water tanker system to ensure that residents receive emergency water supplies fairly and reliably during outages?

A: We want to put water in the taps and not tankers on the streets. Our plan involves working towards a situation where water tankers are used only in emergency cases and not as a daily supply system. Once we are able to reach a sustained level of supply through taps we intend auctioning many of the water tankers which will no longer be needed. The money raised from that project will be set aside for future maintenance and pipe replacement programmes.”

Q: Residents have raised allegations about so-called “water tanker mafias” and claims that people are being forced to pay for water supplied by tankers. How would your administration investigate, police and address these allegations?

A: “There are many residents who experience this daily. It is a matter of fact that municipal water is being sold by water tanker drivers. We will be offering a handsome reward to the residents of the city for information and evidence of the culprits so that we can bring criminal charges against them.”

Have your say in eThekwini’s local government elections. This initiative is brought to you by sundaytribune.co.za. If you have questions or concerns you would like to put to eThekwini’s mayoral candidates, email [email protected] and have your voice heard.