DELMAS– Early this month, the revival of the Delmas water plant was celebrated as a turning point, a promise that the days of dry taps and desperate water rationing were over. Yet for many families, the struggle for water remains as relentless as ever.
In Botleng Proper and other Delmas Extensions such as 4, 5, 6 and 7, taps often run dry for most of the day. Families wake before sunrise to fill buckets before water vanishes by mid-morning. Usually, by afternoon households are left without and hoping for the return of water.
It rarely ever comes, though. Agreement Zitha in extension 7 said: “Every morning around 9 o’clock, we lose water. We can’t cook, wash, or clean until around four in the afternoon when the water comes back. It’s the same story every day. The municipality promised us change when the plant was fixed, but our lives have not changed much,” said Agreement Zitha from extension 7.
Delmas has long lived with water shortages. Inconsistent supply has forced residents to depend on weekly water tankers or the goodwill of neighbours with JoJo tanks. When the municipality announced the plant’s revival, many believed the old days of rationing were behind them. Instead, the problem has shifted , not disappeared.
Some sections, such as extensions 4 and 5 have reported improvements in water supply. “The truth is some areas get more water than others,” said Nkosinathi Nkosi, a community member from extension 5. “But the fairness is not there. Why should one part of Delmas have water most of the day, while another goes without? We are all ratepayers and residents. We deserve the same treatment.”
In extension 7, the sense of neglect runs deep. Residents say particularly, feel sidelined. The distribution and allocation of water appears to favour certain extensions while leaving their community struggling, claimed the community members.
“You can see it yourself,” Nkosi pointed out. “Go to other parts of Delmas like extension 3 and you will find water running all day. Here in extension 7, we have to line up with buckets. It feels like we are second-class citizens.”
On Tuesday, 26 August, the Highveld Chronicle sent detailed questions to the Office of the Mayor of Victor Khanye Local Municipality, asking why water shortages persist despite the plant upgrade, what measures are being taken to ensure equal distribution, and when stable supply can be expected.
On the following day, we made a follow up with mayor Vusi Buda to attend to our questions. He did not respond.
Residents say they are no longer interested in promises they want solutions. Others are calling for the municipality to be transparent about why some sections receive more water than others.
“The worst thing is not knowing. You wait and hope, but sometimes the water doesn’t even return at the usual time,” said Njabulo Khoza from extension 4.
The revival of the water plant was meant to bring relief, but the situation in Delmas shows that infrastructure upgrades alone cannot fix service delivery without management, planning and accountability.
“We are not asking for luxury,” Sitoe concluded. “We are only asking for water, the most basic thing any person needs to live. Is that too much?”
