NORTHERN CAPE – Residents of Kimberley, South Africa, are taking the local Sol Plaatje Municipality to task over their lack of transparency and communication regarding the Newton Reservoir levels and nightly water shutdowns.
The last update by the Sol Plaatje Municipality regarding the nightly water shutdown was made on 8 January 2023.
We have opened the flood gates. Your notifications may shortly show the residents we are talking about. But lets reflect on the latest info available on the nightly shutdown. Last update 8 Jan. KCP still sharing the same update today. Old news. Residents left in the in the dark. pic.twitter.com/mAs8j9OEcv
— The Kimberley Prospector (@KBYzaNet) February 5, 2023
Resident resorts to PAIA application request for access to information
One resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, has submitted a request for access to information to the municipality, requesting the Newton Reservoir levels from 14 December 2022 to 5 February 2023.
The resident believes that the nightly water shutdowns are infringing on the basic human right of access to water and that the municipality should be more transparent and communicative with city residents on the daily or weekly changes at Newton and for how long the shutdowns will continue.
Another local resident, Mark Williams, recently shared a video on social media that showed the effects of air being introduced to the municipal water supply by the nightly water shutdowns. The video showed how the air rapidly moves the water meter forward, resulting in inflated water bills. This is due to the air being lighter than water, causing it to move faster than the water and therefore spinning the water meter faster. This issue has been a major concern for many local residents, and Mark Williams’ video has helped to bring more attention to the problem.
Residents express their concerns about the air introduced into the municipal water supply because they are worried about the potential health risks associated with the air and aerobic organisms. They are also concerned that the municipality is doing this on purpose to write off the water losses or artificially inflate the income of the Sol Plaatje Municipality. The continual nighty water shutdowns could potentially cause serious health problems for the people who are consuming the water, and the residents want to make sure that their water is safe. They are also worried about the financial implications of the municipality’s actions and want to make sure that the money is being used for the benefit of the people and not for the benefit of the municipality.
Newton Reservoir levels not looking better
A reliable source says that the Newton Reservoir levels don’t look any better than they did during the last water shutdowns in December 2022. This is concerning news for the local community, as it means that the region is still facing a continual nightmare of nightly water shutdowns with no clear indication of when it would end.
The municipality has not responded to any of The Kimberley Prospector’s multiple requests for the historical data on the Newton Reservoir levels and no comment was received on the nightly water shutdowns. However, in response to these questions from the media, Executive Mayor-Councillor Kagisho Sonyoni has accused The Kimberley Prospector of being on a witch hunt and has blocked the media from the Sol Plaatje Municipality’s Twitter account for asking these important questions.
Hi @KBYzaNet who are these Kimberley residents that you keep mentioning and can they please follow the social media pages for regular updates. Also if there are any queries they can phone the municipality.
— Sol Plaatje Municipality (@SolMunicipality) February 5, 2023
The resident says he is determined to get the answers the community is looking for and is continuing to pursue the request for access to information. He says he will be sharing the information with all local newspapers including RTS FM, NCNN, OFM, Volksblad, the DFA and others. He hopes that the municipality will be more transparent and communicative with city residents regarding the Newton Reservoir levels and the nightly water shutdowns.
Tags: Newton Reservoir Sol Plaatje Municipality