Residents in the Zingcuka location of Kieskammahoek, Eastern Cape, have protested against ongoing water shortages by blocking access to their village and shutting off valves from the Sandile Dam. They accuse local municipalities of neglect over the past four months. The Amathole District Municipality attributes the disruptions to recent infrastructure issues and power failures.
In Kieskammahoek's Zingcuka location, Eastern Cape, community members have expressed deep frustration with persistent water supply problems that have lasted four months. The residents, feeling ignored by authorities, took action by closing off village entrances and valves that direct water from the nearby Sandile Dam to treatment plants. This protest aims to highlight their long-standing grievances, including poor road infrastructure and inadequate water provision from the Amahlathi Local Municipality and Amathole District Municipality.
Local resident Nomphelo Somdaka voiced the community's anger, stating, “We are angry because the clean water that come from this dam does not come to us, they feed other communities. This dam is in our land, we were told to move our forefathers’ graves for this dam for us to get clean water, yet it does not help us. When this water is purified, it does not come back to us.” She emphasized that despite historical sacrifices for the dam's construction, the benefits have not reached their area.
Responding to the unrest, Amathole District Municipality spokesperson Sisa Msiwa explained the recent disruptions. He noted that about two weeks prior, a pump fault at the water treatment works halted supply. After repairs, a pipe burst occurred, followed by a power failure at the facility. “The power supply was restored and water pumping has resumed,” Msiwa said, adding that residents could expect water over the weekend.
These events underscore ongoing challenges in rural water management in the region, where infrastructure vulnerabilities continue to affect daily life.