Zukile Majova
Ukuntuleka kwamanzi ngokweqile e-Port Elizabeth nase-Uitenhage kuxabanisa omakhelwane.
Abantu abafuna ibhakede lamanzi bangena ngenkani emzini yabantu bakhe amanzi ngaphandle kwemvume yabanikazi.
Isimo sinjalo endaweni yaseChris Hani, Kwanobuhle, lapho amakhaya angaphezu kuka-5 000 athembele ethangini elilodwa lamanzi eligcwaliswa umasipala kanye ngosuku.
Amalungu omphakathi antshontsha amanzi alethwa ngamaloli kamasipala ezikoleni zasendaweni.
Ngesizathu esingachazeki, kunemizi emine kuphela enamanzi aphuma empompini kulo mphakathi.
Imizi esenamanzi aphuma empompini nayo isengcupheni yokuthola izikweleti ezinkulu zamanzi ngoba iphoqeleka ukuthi ihlinzeke bonke omakhelwane bayo ngamanzi.
“Iloli lamanzi lifika kanye kuphela ngosuku, futhi abahlali abanaso isiqiniseko sokuthi leli loli lifika nini. Lokhu kungase kuzwakale kuyinto ebuhlungu kubantu abaningi, kodwa kubahlali baseChris Hani lokhu kwaqala kusukela ekuqaleni kwanyakenye. Ezinyangeni ezintathu ezedlule lo mphakathi ubuthola amanzi kanye ngesonto,” kusho isitatimende se-Water Crisis Committee eNelson Mandela Bay.
Izakhamizi ziphinde zagqamisa okunye okudidayo ngokuthi izindawo ezihlala abantu abasezingeni eliphakathi, imiphakathi yakhona ayibuzwa ubuhlungu bokushoda kwamanzi okukhungethe imiphakathi empofu.
“Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwase-Uitenhage, ezindaweni zabantu abasezingeni eliphakathi, lesi sihlava siyinto engekho hhayi njengoba kwenzeka kwabaningi eNelson Mandela Bay.
Izakhamizi ezisezindaweni ezisezingeni eliphakathi e-Uitenhage zinamanzi ahlanzekile ahambayo. Into eyodwa ebathintayo njengawo wonke umuntu ukucishwa kukagesi. Izindawo ezisentshonalanga yeNelson Mandela Bay nazo zinamanzi ahambayo angaphazanyiswa,” kusho ikomiti.
Lezi zakhamizi zifuna umhlangano nomasipala.
Lesi sifunda sihlaselwe isomiso seminyaka eyisikhombisa kanye nokuphathwa kabi kohlelo lokuphakelwa kwamanzi okuholele ekutheni kumosheke u-40% wamapayipi nezivalo zawo ezinganakekelwa.
Ngesikhathi uNgqongqoshe wezaManzi nokuThuthwa kweNdle uMnu Senzo Mchunu evakashele edamini i-Churchill eliseduzane ne-Kareedouw, waveza ukuthi uphiko olulawula amanzi kumele luthathe izintambo kumasipala.
“Kungenzeka ukuthi kulethwe olunye uhlaka oluzolawula izivalo zamapayipi amanzi,” kusho uMchunu.