By Thapelo Molefe
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini has called for urgent intervention from the City Manager Musa Mbhele over a deteriorating water crisis in Ward 9, where residents are experiencing repeated pipe bursts, flooding, and prolonged water outages.
In a letter to the municipality, DA councillor Vincent Mkhize requested immediate clarity on the status of a water infrastructure project approved in June 2025 for the Waterfall area.
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Mkhize said the party is demanding clear implementation timelines, confirmation of budget allocation in the 2026/2027 financial year, and urgent interim measures to prevent further damage and ongoing service disruptions.
“The water crisis in Waterfall Ward 9, particularly in Waterfall 1, Brackenhill, Crestholme and surrounding areas, has reached intolerable levels due to the continued failure of the Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Unit to act,” Mkhize said.
According to the DA, residents are subjected to frequent water outages, often several times a week, as ageing asbestos pipes dating back to 1983 continue to fail.
The party said recurring pipe bursts have led to homes and properties being flooded, causing structural damage and financial losses for residents.
“To make matters worse, affected residents are left to carry the financial burden alone, as insurance claims linked to municipal infrastructure failures are often rejected,” Mkhize said.
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He added that there has been a lack of communication from municipal officials, particularly from Water and Sanitation leadership, despite the severity of the situation.
Mkhize described the ongoing crisis as a violation of residents’ basic rights.
“Water is a basic human right. The continued neglect of this crisis constitutes a direct violation of that right and an injustice to the residents of Waterfall,” he said.
The DA said it will continue to push for accountability and urgent action to restore reliable water supply to the affected communities.
Comment has been sought from eThekwini Metro and had not been provided at the time of publication.
