The Kenton-on-Sea Ratepayers Association has decided against a march planned for Monday September 29, instead opting to encourage residents to attend a meeting with Ndlambe Municipality in their numbers. The meeting, where KOSRA hopes to receive a response from the municipality to questions about the area’s water supply, follows a meeting last Friday where community members expressed their frustration at the area’s erratic water supply. Meanwhile, the municipality has encouraged residents to supply evidence of third-party recipients of water-carting who are not authorised recipients of Ndlambe’s precious water supply.
Talk of the Town counted around 160 people inside the Kenton Town Hall on Friday September 19. KOSRA originally called the meeting for municipal officials to answer 12 questions about water provision in the area. The letter, dated September 17 is directed to Mayor Khululwa Ncamiso, Municipal Manager Rolly Dumezweni and all Ndlambe’s directors and deputy directors.
A response from Ndlambe said that because of prior engagements, officials wouldn’t be able to attend on September 19 and requested that the meeting be postponed to September 29.
“This will allow sufficient time for proper planning and for the participation of key role players,” the letter, signed by municipal manager Rolly Dumezweni, said.
That meeting has been confirmed by KOSRA. However, the organisation has opted against the protest march proposed last Friday, “because of the large amount of red tape”.
In Friday’s meeting, led by KOSRA’s Steve Tredoux and Adrian Purdon, frustrated residents spoke their minds about the prolonged water outages and shortages in the area.
“Let’s not pay our rates and instead pay the money to someone who will operate the water systems properly,” one resident said. It has been a common call among residents in municipalities experiencing similar problems to stop paying the water availability chanrge on municipal bills, on the basis water hasn’t been available.
Tredoux cautioned against such a move on the basis that the municipality was legally entitled to charge interest on unpaid bills.
“The problem is not the [Bushman’s Reverse Osmosis] plant,” said an Ekuphumleni resident. “It is the water mafias.”
Protest in the form of a march was a popular suggestion: “[Given that there’s no water], thank God I’ve got a longdrop!” said a resident. Kry jou g..t in rat (get your a…e in gear) – let’s march!” he said, to applause and laughter.
A business owner complained about the income he had lost because of no water.
Speaking from the floor, Kenton & Boesmans Chamber of Business and Tourism chair Justin Wilmot did not downplay the dire effects of little or no water on the constituencies he serves, but stood by the principle of collaboration that has been the orgaisation’s modus operandi for the past few years.
“There is no magic wand for service delivery – there is no one from outside our community who will solve our problems. We have the expertise among us and there is enough water if the plant is run properly: what we need to work on is getting the municipality working with us.”
Well known businessperson Zach Ngxingo, declined to join the meeting. Speaking outside the venue, he confirmed he had been invited but objected to the process, and the wording of the invitation.
“We have organisations in Ekuphumleni, just across the road. KOSRA knows we have forums and they should have consulted them,” Ngxingo said. Ngxingo, who won the Ward 4 seat as an independent candidate in the October 2010 municipal by-elections (and again in the 2011 local government elections) is chairperson of the Ekuphumleni Development Forum (EDF).
“Have they met with the leadership on the other side of the road?” he asked. “They have been without water for five days; Ekuphumleni has had no water for months.”
Besides taking issue with what he described as a lack of proper process, he said the wording of the initial invitation was insulting. He was referring to the letter date September 17 directed to Ndlambe officials and shared with Kenton-on-Sea and Bushman’s River Mouth residents. Following 12 questions from KOSRA to the municipality, the letter says, “Please share this with your staff, your domestic workers and [gardeners].”
“They are raising a genuine concern,” said Ngxingo, “but look how they call us.”
Inside the venue, concrete suggestions were summarised by Tredoux as follows:
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Monitor and record the details of water trucks collecting water from fire hydrants;
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Prepare for litigation against the municipality;
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Organise a peaceful protest (that suggestion was subsequently withdrawn).
In order to ensure that a substantial number of residents attend the September 29 meeting, street captains would be delegated the task of knocking on doors and canvassing residents.
KOSRA’s 12 questions and Ndlambe Municipality’s responses
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Why is water extracted from the fire hydrants in Kenton when Kenton has no water?
Water is drawn from hydrants specifically to supply the high-lying areas of Kenton-on-Sea and surrounding communities that are unable to receive water through the normal reticulation system due to insufficient pressure, which only reaches the low-lying areas. This carting is undertaken as a last resort to ensure that all residents have at least some access to water. Where possible, supply is supplemented from alternate schemes such as Cannon Rocks; however, when these schemes experience operational challenges, hydrant carting becomes the only available option. It is not standard practice for distribution and is only done under compelling conditions when no alternative exists.
Why is the water transported to third parties who are not even part of the municipal reticulation system and who are those third parties?
The municipality does not authorize water to bwe transported to unerelated third parties. Where instances are identified, investigations are undertaken. Authorised carting is directed to communities within Ndlambe that are experiencing critical shortages. Evidence in this regard will be highly welcomed.
Which trucks have authority to remove water from Kenton and on what basis are they permitted to do so?
Only municipal-contracted or municipal-owned trucks are authorised to cart water. Their activities are guided by contractual agreements and operational requirements as outlined in the municipal procurement policy.
Do the trucks have the right to sell the water that they remove from Kenton and if so, on what basis?
All water supplied by municipal trucks is subject to municipal authorisation and regulatory oversight. Water is made available for sale only through the municipality’s finance office, to community members who voluntarily wish to purchase it, in accordance with municipal by-laws and applicable tariff regulations. The municipality may, from time to time, provide water free of charge to residents in high-lying or water-scarce areas, ensuring equitable access in line with its mandate to safeguard public welfare. Unauthorised private sale or distribution o municipal water is strictly prohibited and subject to legal action.
Why is water removed from Kenton for supply to cattle when humans in Kenton and its environs do not have water?
Municipal water is prioritised for human consumption at all times. Water carting to farm areas within Ndlambe Municipality is intended solely to supply residential dwellings and communal tanks for human use. Any instances of water being used for livestock are unauthorised and fall outside the municipality’s direct control once water has been legally supplied to these areas for human consumption. The municipality remains committed to ensuring that allocations are managed in accordance with applicable by-laws and operational protocols and any misuse will be addressed where practicable.
Has the agreement for the take over of the reverse osmosis plant been signed and who is the appointed person and entity who has been appointed? The Municipality is required to immediately publish the signed contract for the take over of the reverse osmosis plant.
The transfer of the Bushmans River Reverse osmosis Plant from Amatola Water to Ndlambe Municipality is at an advanced stage. Draft agreements are undergoing final legal and compliance reviews in line with National Treasury and Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) requirements, as well as special consent from the Department of Water and Sanitation. The municipality and Amatola Water have set a planned date of 22 September 2025 to finalise this process and the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
When will the takeover be effective?
He expected takeover date is projected for 23 September 2025 and effectively on site on 1 October 2025. The municipality is committed to ensuring a smooth transition to stabilise water supply.
How are any further residential developments planned when there is no or inadequate water?
No new residential developments are approved without a comprehensive water services feasibility assessment in accordance with municipal planning and regulatory requirements. Where water supply is constrained, approvals are subject to strict conditions, phased implementation, or temporary moratoriums to ensure sustainabitity and public safety. With regard to the current housing development project in Marselle, beneficiaries are aware of these limitations and have agreed to occupy the houses understanding that certain municipal services may be limited during the initial phases.
The Municipality is required to explain how the hundreds of additional conservancy tanks are to be cleared and serviced when the Municipality has no honey suckers of its own and depends on only two hired honey suckers?
The municipality acknowledges the strain on conservancy tank servicing. To address this, additional honeysucker capacity has been contracted through an annual tender, enabling more resources to be deployed and better meet the growing demand. The municipality to incrementally achieve its constitutional mandate in this regard.
The Municipality is required to explain how the water borne sewage systems in [Ekuphumleni] and other areas are expected to function without adequate water supply?
Sewerage systems are highly dependent on water availability. Interim measures include prioritising water cartage to high-risk sewer-dependent areas and ongoing network upgrades to mitigate system failures. The takeover of the plant from Amatola Water seeks to resolve this challenge.
What plan does the Municipality have to address the many high-lying and other areas which have not had any municipal water supply for several years?
The appointed service provider for operating the Bushmans Reverse Osmosis Plant has a clear mandate to overcome this challenge, which will positively contribute to alleviating shortages in high-lying areas. In addition, the municipality has a dedicated programme under development to specifically address high-lying and water-scarce areas. This programme includes the integration of the Bushman’s RO plant with the local reticulation network to ensure a more equitable distribution of water, as well as the implementation of pressure management measures and plump station upgrades to improve overall supply reliability.
How can the Municipality bill for a water availability when water is either not available or not adequately available?
The availability charge is a standard tariff regulated by municipal by-laws, intended to maintain infrastructure regardless of consumption. Where the community members are suspicious of billing irregularities, the property owners are at liberty to escalate this with the municipal billing department.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, September 25, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays