Residents hijack tanker as Isipingo water woes continue
Frustrations over dry taps for two weeks in Isipingo, south of Durban, have boiled over.
The Isipingo Community Policing Forum says the driver of a water tanker was caught up in the drama.
CPF chair Adian David says no one was hurt in Saturday’s incident.
"Because of the desperation of the people, what they've done is they seen the water tankers going to other streets," says Isipingo Community Policing Forum chairperson Adian David.
"They came with firearms and pointed it at the people and stopped them from filling their buckets with water. They decanted water from the tanker into their tank. Then they instructed the driver to proceed to the area where they live."
He says residents feel calls for the restoration of water supplies are falling on deaf ears.
Another complaint is that not enough tankers are being sent to their area - also devastated by the floods.
David says while they understand that people are desperate for a drop of the precious resource - he's appealed to them not to take matters into their own hands:
"We now fear for our lives because as we are coming to fetch water we might be losing our lives because of people who aren't getting water becoming desperate and are starting to threaten and point firearms. It's an act of desperation."
