Tongaat community wants JoJo tanks they burnt to be replaced

The Tongaat community has asked the eThekwini municipality to replace JoJo tanks they burnt in a protest over water shortages on Thursday.

DA councillor Yogis Govender told TimesLIVE the community’s apology for burning the tanks was recorded at the exco meeting on Friday morning.

“They are requesting a replacement. The city does not have the capacity to just replace these tanks,” she said.

Tongaat Civic Association chairperson Don Perumal said the tanks were already cracked and collapsed before they were burnt in the protests that took place in the Hambanathi area.

“In many areas, JoJos are being left empty for days on end. People stand there and no water comes to them. Brown, dirty water has come a few times and communities attribute the poor water quality to the high rise of diarrhoea as well as gastro infections,” he said.

The deadly floods in April left many families homeless, destroyed infrastructure and had residents fighting for their basic right to water.

“We want water on tap, as per water-shedding other areas of Illembe, Ndwedwe, as well as the coastal areas of La Mercy, Umdloti and many of the coastal areas,” Perumal said.

Co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala, minister for water and sanitation Senzo Mchunu and Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda were expected to convene an urgent meeting with the Tongaat community on Friday.

“This meeting follows the intervention of MEC Zikalala, who visited the community [on Thursday] in a bid to restore calm after the protest which led to the blocking of roads,” his department said.

TimesLIVE