WATCH: Children as young as 5 drinking drain water as residents risk falling sick in eMalahleni

'We are not even sure where the water comes from. We have been without water for so many years' Residents of Ezinambeni township in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, risk contracting waterborne diseases as they are forced to rely on potentially contaminated water amid a prolonged water crisis. Residents told The Citizen they had been without a reliable water supply for years and were forced to collect water from small pipes beneath the road drainage system. When The Citizen visited the area, more than 20 people had gathered around a water tanker delivering water to the community. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map The visit forms part of The Citizen‘s travels across the country to explore the lives, struggles and frustrations of ordinary South Africans ahead of the local government elections. Community members complained that water tankers did not arrive consistently, forcing them to rely on underground pipes whose water source they could not verify. “This truck comes here sometimes, so in most cases we draw water from the small pipes we found underground. We are not even sure where the water comes from. We have been without water for so many years,” said a resident who asked not to be named. Who is to blame? The resident blamed the crisis on contractors the municipality hired to install bulk water pipelines, saying repeated attempts to install and repair the infrastructure failed. Municipal spokesperson Lebogang Mofokeng was not available for comment. His response will be included once received. “That is why we are digging to try to connect the pipes ourselves as community members,” the resident said. Schoolchildren, some as young as five, and adults were seen drinking and collecting water from beneath the road. One man said he had used the water for years and did not believe it was unsafe because he drank it and used it to wash clothes. ‘People mustn’t just vote for people who are making noise’ Traditional leader Ikosi Ndabezitha Nsizwa Mahlangu of the Mrhejha Royal House confirmed that several areas around eMalahleni were experiencing water shortages. Mahlangu, who has served his community for about 20 years, urged residents to scrutinise political parties’ track records and use their votes to demand better service delivery. He said communities continued to face water shortages, deteriorating roads and unemployment despite years of promises by politicians. “Water is life, and one of the most important rights of a human being is having water,” he said. He questioned why councillors could serve five-year terms without making meaningful improvements to local infrastructure, saying residents deserved tangible results rather than election promises. “People must not just vote for people who are making noise. They must look at a person’s background and ask what that person is capable of doing,” he said. Mahlangu encouraged young people to participate in elections and hold political leaders accountable. Unemployment He also called for greater recognition of traditional leadership in urban areas and stronger cooperation between mining companies, traditional authorities and local government to address unemployment. He alleged that some community forums obstructed progress by controlling access to employment opportunities linked to mining activities. According to Mahlangu, some individuals used these structures to demand money from jobseekers in exchange for access to employment. He called for transparent recruitment processes to ensure deserving candidates received opportunities. Poor financial management Meanwhile, ActionSA’s mayoral candidate for Nkangala District Municipality, Mary Padi, identified poor financial management, crime and inadequate infrastructure maintenance as challenges undermining service delivery. Padi, also an ActionSA provincial campaigner in Mpumalanga, said the district continued to experience service delivery problems despite its coal reserves and proximity to power stations. She raised concerns about the municipality’s audit outcomes over the past five years, saying persistent negative results pointed to serious financial management challenges. “Corruption, poor financial management and the alleged overpayment of service providers were undermining municipalities’ ability to deliver basic services,” she said. Padi urged municipalities in the district to maintain infrastructure and ensure funds allocated to service delivery were spent effectively. She also criticised poor sanitation, including uncollected waste, blocked drainage systems and dusty conditions. “Our towns must be kept clean. Do not let waste scatter everywhere. Drainage is not working, and when you travel around the towns, it smells,” she said. On unemployment, Padi called for the revival of struggling industries and improved access to jobs in mining and manufacturing. She cited the closure of factories, including Highveld Steel, as part of the region’s economic challenges. She also called for greater investment in mining and questioned whether local residents benefited sufficiently from economic activity around mines and power stations. Padi cited complaints about foreign workers being employed at Kusile power station, saying local communities believed they were being overlooked for available jobs. She urged government and major employers to consider local residents for employment opportunities and support women’s participation in business and leadership.