The dedicated complaint hotline on the AfriForum website is in full swing.

“The hotline is working. Many problems are solved. I believe we have turned a corner. For the past two weeks, water has been consistently running, apart from isolated incidents. I am proud of Vhembe and their communication guy, Mr Moses Shibambu, who diligently noted the complaints and followed up,” said AfriForum Louis Trichardt chairperson Wally Schultz on 24 June.

One of the complaints on the hotline was that of Ms Petro van Rooyen who reported a leaking municipal tap in Snyman Street on 8 June. “Thank you, my tap is not leaking anymore!” Van Rooyen wrote on Monday, to which Shibambu replied “Thanks Petro, the flow of water seems to be back to normal but we are still monitoring very closely.”

“To get home from work and still have water ... This is heavenly!” Ms Chantel Smith commented on a social network on 7 June.

Mr Lampie Schoeman reported a stream of water in Douthwait Street between Jeppe and Vorster Streets on Monday and said that the result would be an empty Bergh Street reservoir, a complaint that still had to be followed up by the time of going to press. The Zoutpansberger asked Schoeman if he deemed the water supply in town to have improved.

“I describe water supply as normal when there is always water when you open your tap. That is how Judge Maumela described it during the recent court session. I would even describe the water supply as having improved when there is water for five or six months consistently and not five days and then a break in continuous supply,” said Schoeman, who attended the court sessions as local AfriForum deputy chairperson. Schoeman said that a water services plan, with a monitored maintenance plan and a contingency plan, was necessary.

Following the more consistent water flow, sewage has been erupting in many places all over town. “The flowing water gives rise to sewerage problems. It can be likened to temporary explosions as the water is clearing the sewage out. I have driven around town to enough places … and have seen all the stuff and plastic bags that come out of the blocked sewerage...” said Schultz and added that the pump station in the industrial area near the breweries was working again.  

The hotline is also used for sewerage complaints. Mr Jerry Cloete reported a sewage spill on behalf of his neighbours in Wolmarans Street. “The sewage has pushed up at the main line and is almost knee deep at some places. This has been three months and we are dying of the smell…” Cloete wrote on 6 June. Four days later, he pasted a comment to express his gratitude that a crew was busy working on the problem. “Just one message on this page and things are on the roll…” Cloete said.

In the meantime, the Vhembe municipal manager has around 60 more working days to supply consistent water between 04:00 and 10:00 and 16:00 and 20:00 as ordered by Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela of the Gauteng North High Court on 16 May. After the 90 days (from 16 May), a contempt-of-court order with a possible jail sentence could be given against the municipal manager in person.  The Zoutpansberger asked Schultz whether he thought that these dire consequences could be averted. "Let's not tempt fate by saying that now," Schultz said.