Residents of Jackaroo Park in the Emalahleni Local Municipality (Kriel, Ogies, Phola, eMalahleni/Witbank) have been without water since Wednesday, 22 April 2026, due to a major pipe fracture in a bulk water supply line.
Even though an entire week has gone by, the Municipality still has not found a sustainable solution.
The leak is located in a watercourse, so, the Municipality claims that site conditions are hampering efforts to repair the pipe; but the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) has repeatedly called for the supply line to be rerouted as a permanent solution.
It would not only resolve the current crisis, but also prevent future pipe failures, ensure contractor safety and prove far more cost-effective in the long term than frequent, unsuccessful emergency repairs.
The Municipality’s interim measures are also inadequate. A single water tanker has been deployed to service the entire Jackaroo Park area – this arrangement clearly falls short of meeting the affected residents’ basic daily water needs.
The ongoing neglect of critical infrastructure is resulting in prolonged service disruptions, significant water losses and unnecessary financial strain on the Municipality.
The Freedom Front Plus has already engaged with municipal management, insisting that more water tankers should immediately be deployed to the area and that the water supply line needs to be rerouted.
The party will keep pressing for a permanent solution that will eliminate future service disruptions.
