Verulam witnessed an eruption of communal frustration today as residents blockaded the R102 route to Durban.
Verulam residents protest on R102 Durban route
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The protest, a visible manifestation of anger, was sparked by the persistent water crisis in the area.
Commuters faced significant delays as the normally bustling route was transformed into a stage for civic action.
The Verulam Water Crisis Committee has been vocal about the dire situation.
In a recent move, they emailed the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, calling for urgent intervention. Spokesperson Roshan Lil-Ruthan vividly depicted the community’s struggles, emphasising the negative impacts on residents’ healthcare facilities and businesses due to water scarcity.
“We’ve warned this intransigent and uncaring Ethekwini Municipality that protests will flare up. Look at all the Tankers parked off with not a drop of water in our taps or home’s! This is outrageous,” Lil-Ruthan wrote.
The situation in Verulam is a microcosm of a broader crisis in the eThekwini Municipality.
Reports reveal that the failure of the Umgeni water pump and inefficiencies in the Durban Heights water system have left areas like Phoenix, Verulam, and Umhlanga with dry taps.
Adding to the woes, it’s alleged that around 55% of the water supply is lost due to leaks, power outages, and poor infrastructure.
This mismanagement results in more than half of the water paid for by residents not reaching them.
“No water was pumped to Mt View Reservoir because there’s no water coming from Umngeni Uthukela. Umngeni Uthukela is making it our fault and punishing us, the people of Verulam and surrounding suburbs as though we run the Ethekwini Municipality.
“I warned previously that every excuse will be thrown out there by EWS, to justify that they dismally failed us. They failed to maintain the infrastructure and now we must suffer. We the Verulam Water Crisis Committee has called for several interventions and meetings with various Heads of Government, and they refuse to acknowledge the flood devastation and suffering of our people,” Lil-Ruthan added.
Today’s protest on the R102 is more than just a traffic inconvenience; it’s a cry for help from a community pushed to the brink.