The right to water and sanitation was officially recognised as a human right by the United Nations in 2010, entitling everyone to sufficient, safe, accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic use. However, the residents of School Road in Buffelsdraai, Verulam, say they have been denied this right for over a decade, forced to rely on a precarious system of JoJo tanks and municipal trucks. For many, this supply is barely enough to cover basic needs.
Resident Stacy Govender said: “I have lived in this community for the past 10 years and there has been no water this entire time. It has been very difficult. We get municipal trucks coming in and filling our JoJo tanks but that is for daily use like bathing, flushing toilets and washing clothes, this water is not intended for drinking. We rely on this system, it is very rare we get a private truck in the area to bring us water.”
Govender highlighted the struggle of low-income families in the area, noting that when trucks do not arrive, the community is left stranded. She said: “There are mostly poor people here, we do not always have the mobility to go and easily obtain water. We have to wait for the trucks to fill the JoJo tanks, other than that, we are stuck. Children cannot go to school and parents cannot go to work. How are people going to support their families when missing work?”
Community member Devraj Moonsammy has been at the forefront of the struggle to get taps flowing. He explained that even when the tanks are filled, the quality of the water remains a major concern.
Moonsammy said: “When there is no water, I phone many people, whoever I can to get the JoJo tanks filled be it the municipality, Checksave or anyone in a position to help, however the JoJo tanks are not clean. Despite protests and letters to various departments, our water is never running for more than a day or two before the taps are dry again.”
In February, Moonsammy escalated the issue to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Intake Officer Maria Mnyakeni acknowledged the complaint, stating that the SAHRC will assess whether the matter falls within its mandate.
The crisis also affects Zenzeleni Primary School, a no-fee institution on School Road serving over 600 pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds. In a letter to the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Principal, Khathutshelo Patience Zwane, stressed the dire situation.
Zwane said: “As a school we are in dire need of water. As a school our pupils need to maintain their hygiene routine, but without water in the community of Buffelsdraai, that cannot happen.”
Zwane urged the government to implement relevant infrastructure so that the entire community can benefit. For now, despite their pleas and the official recognition of their rights, the residents of School Road continue to face only dry taps.
The eThekwini Municipality as well as Ward 59 Councillor Nkosiyezwe Mhlongo were contacted for comment but no response was received at the time of print.
