Municipality responds to abuse of communal water tanks by cartage company

On Thursday May 20, Talk of the Town came across this company, Makeli Cartage, siphoning water from the residential communal tank in Park Road to fill four 200-litre drums.

This kind of abuse of water meant for the community during the water crisis has been reported before. The men were hostile and aggressive when TotT took photos, the one with the brown sweater and hat threatening to break the journalist’s camera. They claimed to be doing the exact opposite, that they were delivering water, notwithstanding the absurdity of trying to “fill” the communal tanks with four 200-litre drums. They also showed guilt over their actions through their aggression and then turning away from the camera when TotT took a video.

TotT reported the incident to Ndlambe Municipality. A response was received this morning from deputy director of infrastructure Onke Sopela, who said: “The company Makeli Cartage has been contacted through telephone and they were reprimanded on their actions. Community and Protection Services has been informed about the incident and were requested to assist as this act was not encouraged by the municipality as water in the tanks are meant for residents in and around the area of the tank.”