The prolonged reliance on water trucks in the Mandeni municipality in South Africa’s iLembe District starkly contrasts with the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Development Diaries reports that the Mandeni municipality has been receiving water supply from water trucks for almost a decade, however, there have been instances when the trucks are weeks behind schedule.

According to a report by Groundup, people have to either pay someone to go 30 kilometres to collect municipal water or get water from streams before the trucks arrive.

The situation highlights the denial of a stable and consistent water supply to residents, hence sustaining inequality and depriving households of a basic human right.

The inconsistent arrival of water trucks and the need to source water from distant streams or drive long distances for municipal water further reflects a significant gap in achieving SDG six targets.

Also, the delay in the district municipality’s water supply scheme, initiated in 2004 but still unfinished after two decades, highlights a troubling inefficiency in infrastructure development and governance.

Mlungisi Shelembe, a Councillor interviewed by Groundup, noted that only one water tanker provided water for his ward, which consisted of five sections.

He also said that plans to install two more boreholes were moving slowly and that the borehole project which was initiated in April remained incomplete.

Such delays undermine efforts to guarantee universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, a key component of SDG six.

The persistence of this issue not only hampers the quality of life for residents but also poses health risks, especially when people are forced to rely on untreated water from streams.

It is a clear indication that more decisive and urgent action is needed to address water scarcity and infrastructure challenges.

Development Diaries calls on the local and district municipalities to expedite the completion of the water supply scheme, and ensure that access to clean and reliable water is no longer a luxury but a guaranteed right for all households.

Photo source: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images