Residents in parts of the Buffalo City Metro are bracing for a three-day water shutdown this weekend, but for many the interruption is merely a continuation of daily outages.
Areas affected by the planned maintenance shutdown, scheduled from Friday to Sunday, include Phakamisa, Zwelitsha, Bhisho and surrounding areas, Sweetwaters, Schornville, Ndevana, Ilitha, Ntabozuko, Potsdam, Needs Camp, Ncera villages up to Kaysers Beach and parts of Kidd’s Beach.
The work, by Amatola Water, includes a structural inspection of the Qongqotha regional storage reservoir and maintenance on the Laing Bulk Water System which is supplied by the Laing Dam water treatment plant.
All areas connected to the system are expected to be affected.
Authorities have warned that while it is planned for supply to be restored on Sunday, it may take longer for the system to fully recover as reservoirs refill and pressure stabilises.
For residents, however, the warnings come against a backdrop of long-standing shortages.
Phumlani resident Noxolo Oyo said tanker water had become the norm.
In Ncerha, Bongi Sojola said: “Our taps have been dry for years.”
Khanyo Manzi, from Needs Camp, said the situation had persisted for even longer. “We have not had running water for three years. We depend on water tankers … it is never clean water.”
Lumka Tele, from Bhisho, said: “We have not had water for the past three days.”
Ashleigh Stinton, from Ntabozuko, described the situation as frustrating.
“We are always told to prepare, but many of us have already been struggling without water.”
Amatola Water spokesperson Nolitha Mbangcolo said the shutdown was necessary to ensure infrastructure safety.
“The inspections are required in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act … which mandates the owner of the structure carry out periodic inspections to verify its continued safety,” she said.
Mbangcolo said the work formed part of a broader programme to improve bulk supply.
“In addition to the structural inspections, repairs and maintenance of mechanical, electrical, pipelines and valve infrastructure will also be undertaken … to improve the quality and quantity of bulk water supplied to Buffalo City Metro, including minimising water losses.”
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said contingency measures were in place.
“Ten water tankers from Amatola will be distributed across all affected areas and will be monitored to ensure residents continue to have access to water,” he said.
He urged residents to store water in advance and cautioned that supply restoration would not be immediate.
“Water tankers will remain in operation until normal water supply is fully reinstated.
“Affected villages will receive water and drop points will be determined by the villages in areas that are accessible to residents.”
But business leaders warned the shutdown highlighted a deeper crisis.
Black Business Forum president Luthando Bara said continued water outages were a social and economic crisis.
“Communities are affected at every level,” he said.
“For businesses, the impact is equally severe, with many unable to operate, leading to lost income and growing economic pressure.”
He called for urgent intervention.
“This requires clear communication, reliable scheduling, and a decisive long-term plan …
“Water is life. Without it, communities cannot function and development cannot take place.”
DA councillor Sue Bentley said the shutdown, while disruptive, was unavoidable.
“Planned maintenance is of critical importance,” she said.
“An unplanned shutdown would invariably last longer and have worse consequences.”
She said the planned nature of the outage at least allowed for preparation but warned that existing support systems were already strained.
“The problem is twofold: tankers operate during working hours, meaning many residents cannot access them, and the storage capacity in vulnerable communities is often inadequate.”
There are broader infrastructure and governance issues … including overpricing and corruption, [which] continue to affect value for money and service delivery
— Sue Bentley, DA councillor
Bentley said longer-term investment was needed to stabilise supply.
“More budget needs to be directed at planned maintenance and refurbishment … Unplanned maintenance is always more expensive because it happens under emergency conditions.”
She also raised concerns about governance and procurement.
“There are broader infrastructure and governance issues … including overpricing and corruption, [which] continue to affect value for money and service delivery.”
Fuzile said the municipality would continue to provide updates and appealed for patience.
Daily Dispatch
