Emalahleni – After years of residents enduring sporadic water supply, the Emalahleni Local Municipality finally launched a large-scale water infrastructure maintenance project on Monday, 21 July 2025.
In an update statement on Thursday, 24 July, the communication department of the municipality said: “All reservoirs have now been fully cleaned, marking a significant milestone in preparation for water restoration. This step is crucial to ensure both water quality and system pressure. The team has made remarkable progress, working tirelessly and conducting double shifts to adhere to the planned schedule.”
It added that pumping is expected to begin on 25 July and low-lying areas will be the first to receive water, and as system pressure increases, more areas will gradually be restored. “As of tonight, the team will begin testing and commissioning the system systematically to ensure a safe and smooth water restoration process.”
Highveld Chronicle reached out to some of the residents who had to endure the brunt of living for years without reliable water supply. In one of the sections in ward 4 in the Hlalanikahle area, residents had to live for two years without water.
When asked about the cause of delay to put suitable infrastructure, the mayor, through his spokesperson Tricia Nhlengethwa, avoided the question and instead referred us to a Tik Tok video showing progress at the sites.
One resident from Tasbert Park, Zandile Nkosi, said: “We always see on their (the Municipality’s) Facebook page new water tanks, but they don’t help us with nothing. They never deliver water. A week ago, I saw one pass by my house, that time we hadn’t had water for a week, and it didn’t stop.”
Another resident, Priscilla Ndlovu from Siyanqoba, said living without reliable water supply has strained her budget. “The water crisis has been a major problem for quite some time now. I have a JoJo tank, and when the water runs out, I have to call a water tanker and pay them to refill my tank. It’s become a norm now. I know that in my monthly budget, I have to add JoJo tank refill money.”
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, the mayor expressed concerns over safety on the ground after the engineers were reportedly attacked and their work delayed by criminal interference over the past weekend.
“We cannot ignore the threats our teams face on the ground,” said Nhlapho. “But I am proud of their dedication. They are out there restoring a basic human right under extremely difficult circumstances. We urge our communities to help safeguard municipal infrastructure and the people working to serve them.”
Some of the community have broadly welcomed the improvement of the water infrastructure. “This is the most comprehensive maintenance I’ve seen in a while. If it means clean, consistent water at the end, I’ll support it,” said Enoch Molefe from Ackerville.
