Different to last week’s engagement which took place in a calmer spirit and atmosphere, Mogale City Executive Mayor, Cllr Tyrone Gray met with the community of Munsieville for the second time when tempers were at boiling point triggering protest action from the community – this after being without water for 25 days in succession.
Apart from calling for peaceful protests, the engagement from the Mayor was to also give an update in relation to the water interruption as Mogale City has been working with Rand Water around the clock to restore water to the affected areas of Munsieville, Rant en Dal and parts of Noordheuwel.
Part of the feedback was the difficulty experienced by Rand Water to consistently pump water into the low water level reservoirs due to the ongoing electricity power cuts by Eskom, adversely affecting efforts to restore water in Munsieville and some parts of Dan Pienaarville.
To lend a hand to the challenge, the Municipality also urgently purchased a water booster pump to assist with the water pressure, whilst we continue work with Rand Water towards fully restoring water.
The appeal to Eskom directly from the Executive Mayor was to allow City Power to isolate the Roodepoort Rand Water pump station from loadshedding, functioning uninterrupted and in so doing allow sufficient water pumping to fill the Krugersdorp Reservoirs and enabling water supply to the affected areas.
In escalating the matter, the Office of the Executive Mayor will also be engaging the offices of both the Minister of Public Enterprise and Water and Sanitation respectively to assist with getting Eskom to accede what is a reasonable request.
Whilst Mogale City Water Services remains apologetic to the affected communities, we once appeal to residents of Mogale City to use water sparingly during this period to preserve as much water as possible.
Issued by:
The Office of the Executive Mayor
Mogale City Local Municipality