Frustrated Klaarwater residents took to the streets on Monday night, blocking Shallcross Road in protest over ongoing water shortages affecting the area.
The protest reportedly took place near the Shallcross Pool area, where residents gathered and disrupted traffic while demanding access to water and emergency tanker services.
Videos circulating on social media showed residents occupying the roadway as frustration mounted over prolonged water supply disruptions.
Community activist Sumaya Arumugam shared footage of the protest online and criticised what she described as a lack of response to residents’ concerns.
“This is what residents have to resort to because our councillor fails to listen to the cries of the community. It’s not that hard to send out water tankers, right?” she said in a social media post.
Residents commenting on the video also voiced anger over the ongoing water crisis and high municipal bills.
Resident Selvan Reddy claimed residents continued receiving high municipal accounts despite the water shortages.
“Yet we get billed R14 000.00,” he said.
Another resident, identified as Username 777, described the situation as a daily struggle for the community.
“This is a daily challenge we face and the bill remains high. The cost of basic necessities has increased drastically. This just adds to the community’s already stressed life,” the resident commented.
Resident Karrima Abdul called for urgent intervention and emergency relief.
“We need water tankers at least,” she said.
Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid contacted Ward councillor Fatima Ismail for comment.
Ismail said she understood the frustrations experienced by residents and had been providing updates through social media platforms and community WhatsApp groups.
However, she stated that residents also needed to understand that different political structures were responsible for various spheres of governance and that the water tanker issue did not fall directly within her mandate.
She said she had been engaging with the municipality and relevant departments regarding the shortage of water tankers in the ward.
According to Ismail, water tankers were limited across eThekwini, particularly following the recent shutdown announced last week, which left many communities without water.
She added that despite these challenges, calls had been made that resulted in one tanker being dispatched to the protesting community, while engagements with officials for further assistance were continuing.
The protest highlights growing frustration among residents over access to basic services and increasing calls for urgent intervention to address ongoing water shortages.
