Hundreds of West Rand residents block busy highways over water cuts
Households in Kokosi, Fochville say they’ve been forced to rely on dirty water sources during the outage
Community members from Kokosi in Fochville on Joburg’s West Rand on Tuesday protested because their taps have been dry for over a month. Photos: Silver Sibiya
Chaos erupted in the streets of Kokosi, Fochville, on Tuesday as hundreds of people protested for their water to be restored.
Earlier this week, GroundUp reported that taps in the West Rand community have been dry for over a month. Some people at the protest said they have not had a consistent water supply for between three and six months. The crisis in Kokosi and other surrounding areas stems from the Merafong Local Municipality’s R1.4-billion debt to Rand Water.
Since last year, Rand Water has been implementing water cuts as a debt collection mechanism.
On Tuesday, protesters blocked the busy N12 and R500 highways. Police attempted to disperse the crowds by firing teargas and rubber bullets, but the R500 remained closed for most of the day with burning tyres.
Protesters say they were tired of their pleas for help being ignored. Several people we spoke to complained that the municipality’s failures have forced families to fetch water from burst pipes, boil contaminated water, or go without bathing for days.
Hundreds of residents blocked the N12 and R500 highways early on Tuesday morning.
“It is a matter of life, death, and dignity,” said community leader Ramafala Ramatshosa. “When you don’t have water, your health is compromised. The municipality has stripped us of our basic rights.”
Resident Gabriel Mandawe said, “I stopped going to church because I could not bathe. This is no way to live.” Mandawe, who works at Fochville Secondary School, said the toilets are a mess because there is no running water.
Another resident, Koos Fourie, said residents have been forced to survive on dirty water from fire hydrants. “We try to boil it and add jik, but not everyone can afford that. We just hope this protest brings change.”
He worries that without water, people in the area could experience health problems if the situation continues.
A memorandum was handed to Merafong Mayor Nozuko Best, but she left without addressing protesters or the media. The community demanded that water be restored by Thursday.
Merafong spokesperson Thabo Moloja blamed unpaid rates bills for the problem, including unpaid debt from mines. He said this meant the municipality could not keep up with Rand Water’s R39-million monthly charge.
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