By Celani Sikhakhane
- Residents of Eastbourne Farm in KwaZulu-Natal rejoice as running water returns after seven years, following claims funds were diverted for the mayor’s wedding.
- Officials pledge to fix district-wide water issues as communities suffer from droughts and infrastructure failures, despite recent relief in some areas.
Residents of Eastbourne Farm in Dannhauser, KwaZulu-Natal, are finally celebrating the return of running water to their homes after seven long years of struggling without it.
The water crisis led to accusations that Newcastle Mayor Xolani Dube had used funds meant for water infrastructure to pay for his lavish wedding in December.
Over the weekend, taps started flowing again, bringing relief to the community, especially women who had borne the brunt of the water shortage.
Hlengiwe Mabaso from Ward 10 compared the moment to a miracle, saying: “It feels like the return of Jesus. We last had running water seven years ago.
We lived with dirty laundry for weeks because water tanks only came once or twice a week. It was even harder for those of us with sick relatives who need water daily.”
Acting Amajuba District Municipality Mayor Thembelihle Mthembu and Municipal Manager Thulani Dube joined the Mabaso family to witness the first running taps.
They praised God with the family and committed to addressing the broader water challenges in the Amajuba District.
Mthembu acknowledged the difficulties residents faced:
“It’s heartbreaking to hear elderly women share their frustrations. We are working hard to fix the infrastructure challenges across all areas under the district’s control.”
He added that rural communities have been hit hardest, often relying on water tanks for survival.
Meanwhile, Newcastle suburbs have also suffered from water shortages, with councillors resorting to prayer services in hopes of rain.
Councillor Bebsie Cronje revealed that this was the first rain prayer in December since she arrived in 1970.
Areas like Aviary Hill, Sunnyridge and Amajuba Park have gone days without water due to drought and infrastructure issues.
KwaZulu-Natal is grappling with water shortages caused by persistent droughts, with the worst recorded in 2016.
Municipalities such as eThekwini have implemented strict water-saving measures to cope with the crisis.
Pictured above: Residents of Eastbourne Farm celebrate with Amajuba District Acting Mayor Thembelihle Mthembu and Municipal Manager Thulani Dube as water flows from their taps for the first time in seven years.
Source: Video screengrab
