KZN South Coast residents slam delays as water cuts drag on amid heatwave

The flow of tap water remains shaky along the KZN lower South Coast after another prolonged bout of water cut-offs or erratic supplies linked to insufficient electricity from Eskom.

Most water in the area is pumped from the Umtamvuna River on the border between KZN and the Eastern Cape and then purified at the Umtamvuna Water Treatment Plant near Port Edward.

Stephanie Breedt, a DA Ward 1 councillor for the area, notes that while water volumes are generally plentiful at the mouth of the river, plant officials have been battling to pump out enough river water for treatment due to insufficient electrical power in the local grid.

In early 2019, she said, the Ugu District Municipality paid R14-million to Eskom to provide a new power link from the neighbouring Eastern Cape grid to bolster supplies to the Mtamvuna treatment works.

But, seven years down the line, that new power supply scheme has yet to materialise.

The Ugu Municipality confirmed that a “temporary” additional power supply was commissioned in September 2025 to alleviate the tap water shortages, but further problems emerged during December and January that forced it to implement a rationing scheme dubbed “Vula/Vala” – where water reservoir supplies were switched on or off on different days.

Responding to queries from Daily Maverick, a municipal spokesperson said: “The Vula/Vala system functions according to supply and demand principles. Ongoing power supply interruptions hinder the ability to fill reservoirs, subsequently impacting water distribution to households.

“Recently, insufficient power supply has impeded reservoir filling, resulting in widespread water shortages throughout the Umtamvuna Scheme.”

The municipality blamed the problems on a “voltage imbalance in the electricity supply”.

“This imbalance hampers the consistent operation of the water extraction pumps at the Umtamvuna Water Works. Eskom is actively working to resolve this issue, and alternating power supply between the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Eastern Cape (EC) grids has provided some relief.”

But Martin van Zyl, a Port Edward resident and convenor of the local “Water Alliance Group”, says water supply in some areas was erratic or non-existent from mid-December to the end of January.

“We are in the middle of a heatwave on the KZN coast. Eskom has been paid, so why the hell are they not bringing the extra power as agreed?”

Van Zyl said that while water supply had resumed early last week (February 3), his was cut off again three days later.

“Many Port Edward people are pensioners and can’t afford to buy water from the water sellers, so their health is suffering – while Ugu lacks the will to resolve the issue,” he asserted.

Fortunately, the Gift of the Givers had been providing free 5-litre bottles of water to residents in need, while the local Methodist Church was also providing residents with some water.

“But when you have people who are 70 or 80 years old, it’s unfair to expect them to be collecting heavy water drums at the church every day,” Van Zyl said.

We asked both Ugu and Eskom to explain why a permanent supply had not been commissioned after seven years, and to also comment on reports that some community leaders in the Eastern Cape were blocking implementation for a variety of reasons, including concern about inadequate power supply in that province.

Eskom has not responded to the queries, while Ugu officials suggested that officials in the Eastern Cape government “may be better positioned to respond to questions regarding social or community issues in this context”.

Due to the “persistent nature of these challenges” Ugu was “co-operating closely with Eskom on both short-term and long-term electrification projects for the local water works”.

“Experts are currently working to resolve the unforeseen challenge of voltage imbalance. Significant progress has already been made on the broader electrification project, with the commissioning of a temporary power supply resulting in more consistent water delivery to the community. Efforts will continue to stabilise services and ensure a sustainable solution,” the municipality said.

• On February 8, the Ugu municipality announced it was “vala” time again for the coast between Port Edward and Southbroom, including the inland areas of KwaNzimakwe, KwaXolo and Izingolweni.

“Please be advised that water supply will be temporarily interrupted due to an unplanned power failure at the pump station and critically low dam levels. The system has been closed to allow the dam to build capacity to operational levels.

Officials were hoping that taps would be “vula” later today (February 9). DM