Residents of Hambanathi in oThongathi north of Durban say a child has drowned, people have been injured, and others have contracted waterborne diseases because of the water problems in the township.
They have barricaded a road into the township and set alight water storage tanks in protest of water shortages since the April floods.
The video below is an update from the protest:
After the town’s main water treatment plant was washed away, the eThekwini Municipality has been sending water tankers to the township. However, residents say the service is inadequate.
One of them Sikhumbuzo Mthembu says his daughter and granddaughter have been admitted to hospitalwith waterborne diseases.
“There’s a kid who already died. He fell into the bucket, he passed away. There are ladies who got themselves hurt because they were running for water.”
“Now it’s really bad. It means our government is totally failing. Because these Jojo tanks are placed, they are not getting filled up with water. That is why people are angry, …