About 17,000 residents have been without clean water since January
RESIDENTS of Carolina hope this week's court decision to dismiss an appeal by municipalities ordered to provide them with clean water will bring an end to their suffering.
About 17,000 residents have been without clean water since January.
Resident Yolanda van der Merwe said the water provided was still not drinkable.
"I still go to the (water) fountain (in town) to draw water because I do not trust that the water from the tap at home is clean," she said. "It's still brownish. I really hope the matter has been finalised and the municipality will supply us with clean water. We have suffered long enough."
Khosi Mthengi, 29, of Sibobela township, said: "The water is not clean at all. It smells like bleach. The water tanks (in the township) are not filled every day and we are therefore forced to go to the fountain or manholes to draw water. I am happy that we won the case and hopeful that we will be provided with clean water soon."
Last month Pretoria High Court Judge Moses Mavundla ruled that the residents should be provided with drinkable water within 72 hours. The appeal of the Chief Albert Luthuli local municipality and Gert Sibande district municipality was dismissed with costs on Wednesday.
Chief Albert Luthuli local municipality spokesman David Nhlabathi said the municipality had been "providing residents with clean water all along". "We will have to study the judgment first and then give our view."
Naseema Fakir of the Legal Resources Centre, the residents' attorney, said they were happy with the outcome. "We will have a process of monitoring the situation ... and we will request updates from the municipalities' lawyers." - mashabas@sowetan.co.za
Court dismisses Carolina water appeal
About 17,000 residents have been without clean water since January
RESIDENTS of Carolina hope this week's court decision to dismiss an appeal by municipalities ordered to provide them with clean water will bring an end to their suffering.
About 17,000 residents have been without clean water since January.
Resident Yolanda van der Merwe said the water provided was still not drinkable.
"I still go to the (water) fountain (in town) to draw water because I do not trust that the water from the tap at home is clean," she said. "It's still brownish. I really hope the matter has been finalised and the municipality will supply us with clean water. We have suffered long enough."
Khosi Mthengi, 29, of Sibobela township, said: "The water is not clean at all. It smells like bleach. The water tanks (in the township) are not filled every day and we are therefore forced to go to the fountain or manholes to draw water. I am happy that we won the case and hopeful that we will be provided with clean water soon."
Last month Pretoria High Court Judge Moses Mavundla ruled that the residents should be provided with drinkable water within 72 hours. The appeal of the Chief Albert Luthuli local municipality and Gert Sibande district municipality was dismissed with costs on Wednesday.
Chief Albert Luthuli local municipality spokesman David Nhlabathi said the municipality had been "providing residents with clean water all along". "We will have to study the judgment first and then give our view."
Naseema Fakir of the Legal Resources Centre, the residents' attorney, said they were happy with the outcome. "We will have a process of monitoring the situation ... and we will request updates from the municipalities' lawyers." - mashabas@sowetan.co.za
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