Lack of water shuts businesses

Ermelo residents have been complaining about a lack of water for three months.

- Masoka Dube

Juliette Basson, a community leader, said the situation was getting worse and businesses were shutting down due to the water crisis.

"There are people who have not had water for almost three months, some have not had it for almost a month."

"Business people in the area are leaving as they spend a lot of money buying water. I am told that some small businesses were spending about R5,000 monthly buying water."

"As community members we are also not happy because we are also buying water as the municipality is not supplying enough," said Basson.

Basson said another factor contributing to the situation was that there were many water leaks in the area and when these were reported, the municipality did not fix them.