Residents of the 59th ward in eThekwini stated that irregular water tankers and dried-up public taps have deprived households of reliable access to water, and they insist that the municipality provide a permanent solution to this problem. On Friday, residents held a protest.
The protest took place in front of the eThekwini Water and Sanitation offices. Residents living in the areas of Buffelsdraai, Osindisweni, and Zwelisha emphasized that prolonged water supply interruptions have seriously complicated living and working conditions for many years.
They noted that using water tankers is not a long-term solution and called for intervention that will ensure stable access to water for communities. The protesters expressed hope that their action would draw more attention to the water supply issues.
Residents pointed out that the water crisis in Osindisweni is related to insufficient capacity at the Ogunjini Waterworks treatment plant. In April 2023, the eThekwini Municipality announced plans to restart the pump and increase the capacity of this station. In August 2025, the city also announced temporary measures, which included increasing water deliveries by tankers and restarting the pump during infrastructure modernization.
Recent complaints cast doubt on the progress of the implemented measures and whether they have led to reliable water supply for affected households.
Resident Lungile Ngkobo reported that water tanker supplies were inconsistent and insufficient; sometimes residents did not see trucks for weeks. She added that when trucks arrived, they only served specific parts of the ward, leaving others without water. Ngkobo recounted that residents have to use water from the nearest water body for other domestic needs, as the water from the tankers is only suitable for drinking. 'For toilets, cooking, and cleaning, we use water from the nearest water body. The situation is so bad that children are often sent home from school,' she stated. The crisis has lasted for years, forcing some residents to connect to water illegally. She also mentioned that homes lack individual taps, and public taps in some parts of the area are dry.
Sabelo Ndlovu stated that residents decided to picket because patience had run out. He noted that the City is aware of the situation, as he sent several emails that received confirmation but did not lead to any action. Ndlovu added that a ward councilor is also upset because attempts to intervene have been unsuccessful.
eThekwini Municipality acknowledged ongoing water supply problems in some parts of the city, including Buffelsdraai, following an unexpected shutdown of a repaired pump at the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works. A city representative, Senzelwa Mzila, reported that the pump supplying raw water to the treatment facilities initially failed on October 5, leading to a deficit of about 50 million liters of water per day. Mzila specified that the city's water supplier, uMngeni-uThukela Water, restored the pump's operation, but it stopped again during testing on October 8. Technical teams are investigating the cause, and the timeline for full restoration of water supply has not yet been determined.
The municipality is monitoring reservoir levels and strongly urges residents to conserve water until the repairs are completed, while also apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the reduced water supply.