NKOMAZI, Mpumalanga — The prolonged KaMaqhekeza water crisis has seen a major turning point, with Nkomazi municipality residents now shifting their focus toward making their voices count in the upcoming Mpumalanga election. After years of enduring severe potable water shortages, the community’s recent decisive civil action has forced the repair of dysfunctional water pumps, restoring flow to local taps just in time for critical voter registration drives.
The breakthrough follows a week of intense demonstrations, where frustrated residents blockaded roads and burned tyres to demand immediate municipal intervention. While local officials maintained that repairs to the malfunctioning infrastructure were already scheduled, they acknowledged that the protests initially hindered technicians from safely accessing the site. However, direct intervention by Municipal Manager Mr. Oscar Nkosi has since provided the necessary “green light” to fast-track the repairs and rebuild fractured trust.
A prominent community spokesperson who has consistently advocated for the residents, highlighted that the core issue stemmed from a complete breakdown in communication and certain officials failing to execute their duties. “It is deeply saddening that we must take to the streets simply to be heard,” he noted. He emphasized that the community and the municipality are now “back at the drawing board” to re-establish transparent communication channels with those accountable for service delivery.
Although the immediate shortage has been alleviated, he cautioned that a permanent fix requires more than temporary servicing. During a Tuesday assessment at the local water treatment plant, community representatives and service providers confirmed that the existing pumps are severely aged. In response, the municipality has committed to delivering brand-new pumps next week.
In the interim, the previously blocked units have been successfully serviced, yielding visible results across the region. Continuous 24-hour water flow was reported in the Bloxy area on Wednesday and Thursday, with consistent running water confirmed in the KaMaqhekeza area by Friday and over the weekend as maintenance teams remain active.
With the essential service temporarily stabilized, civic engagement has surged. Voter registration in the area has seen a robust turnout, reflecting a community determined to leverage its democratic power. The resident concluded with a direct, unified appeal to all political contenders, singling out the governing ANC: “We are pleading with you to take care of your people, because your people will take care of you.”
