Eastern Cape Municipalities have been affected by water shortages for years now, but all has become worse as residents, businesses and institutions have started being affected in the process. This follows after the discovery of the Impofu Dam near Humansdorp running out of water. Some residents in the affected municipalities believe the drought is the reason behind the shortage of water and some say it is due to pipe leakages, infrastructural sabotage and residents wasting water.
However, due to the low levels of water supply, daily operations in the affected municipalities have worsen. Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Raymond Mhlaba and the Amathole District Municipality being amongst the affected municipalities. Reports state that the water crisis has intensified to an extent that clinics and medical facilities are not able to take in more patients because there is no water.
KwaNobuhle, Adelaide, Alice and Bedford are among the affected towns in these municipalities. Residents in the above mentioned towns have to seek for alternative ways to survive, this has includes buying water from nearby stores. The municipality has also tried distributing water tanks through trucks supplying areas with water but that too is not enough for everyone.
Fort Hare University student, Sophumelele Ketse speaks on the matter as it has started negatively affecting most of the student’s academics in this institution including her. She says they go days without water.
“It definitely does affect our academics because most classes were postponed since there is no water and also there are few water tanks so they are not enough for the whole institution” she said.
Sophumelele says weeks go by without water and they would have to go buy water from Spar. She mentions that there are taps that have water, but those taps are further away from the university’s residents.
(Recent discoveries by Sophumelele claim that water tanks were installed for students who reside in the university’s accommodation last night).
