Residents of Mount View in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, have been without water since last Thursday, leaving households, schools, and businesses in disarray.
The sudden water outage occurred without any explanation or notification from the Msunduzi Municipality.
Frustrated residents are demanding answers, as the lack of water disrupts essential activities like cooking, cleaning, and sanitation.
“We’re struggling to cope. No water means no cooking, no cleaning, and no sanitation. It’s unbearable,” said Rish Singh, a local pensioner.
While some residents can afford to buy water, others, particularly pensioners, rely on rainwater for basic needs
Local schools, including Ridgeview Primary School and Merryland Pre-school, have had to suspend operations until water is restored.
A resident expressed outrage, saying, “My children are writing exams. Last week, we had to wake up at 5 a.m. and drive to a relative’s house just so my child could shower and get to school.”
The municipality has not provided a clear explanation for the outage, leaving residents speculating about burst pipes, maintenance, or technical issues.
Conflicting reports from officials and ward councillors have added to the frustration.
Water outages are not new to Msunduzi Municipality, with residents previously warned of impending restrictions due to uMngeni-uThukela Water reducing supply volumes.
Msunduzi’s strategy to reduce water pressure in some areas has also raised concerns.
The Witness reached out to Msunduzi Municipality for comment, but no response was received by the time of publication.
Residents are calling for urgent action to resolve the crisis, as daily life becomes increasingly difficult in the affected area.