By Lusanda Dyan

The Zolani township in Ashton continues to struggle to access water, as supply is frequently cut off. Some areas rely on Jojo tanks and draw water from a nearby stream. This emerged during a water crisis speak-out held in Robertson recently.

Activist and agro-ecology farmer Gerald Ramoabi, based in Zolani township, explained that the community lives near a stream close to a landfill. Livestock also use the same water source.
Because of difficulties accessing water, community members installed a pipeline of about one kilometre from the stream to a JoJo tank. Ramoabi is part of a collective that runs the Sentabale Farming and Development Project in Ashton.

Demeka Emma from Mawubuye said the water supply is frequently cut off, sometimes lasting until the following day. When the supply returns, the water can be black or brown, with visible dirt and sediment.

According to Ashton resident and activist Stanley Pappas, the Riemvansmaak informal settlement is severely affected by limited access to water. Pappas says about 300 households in the informal settlement have struggled with water access for 20 years.

Pappas said they submitted a petition to the municipality in 2016, demanding services for an informal settlement. After no action, a second petition followed, prompting the Provincial Government and the Parliamentary Committee to intervene.

Between 2018 and 2019, the community raised concerns about the funds allocated to the project and alleged fraud. The project was expected to be completed by the end of the 2019 financial year, but residents say it was not finished.

On 15 May this year, residents marched to demand services, but they say that little has changed.

The community currently relies on JoJo tanks supplied during COVID-19. According to residents, the tanks have not been properly cleaned since 2020, are insufficient for the population, and are surrounded by unsanitary conditions.

Keith September, a resident of the Ashton informal settlement and a small-scale farmer, explained that the community has no running water. A water truck fills three JoJo tanks three times a week.

He questioned why a permanent water supply cannot be provided, given that municipal pumps already exist.

“Why can’t the municipality supply us with water? It can be done, but they do not want to.”