Residents of Tumahole in Parys have shut down local clinics and schools in protest of the ongoing water crisis plaguing the Free State town. But the shutdown, which started on Monday, has left the community divided. 

The mass protest is about the lack of drinkable water in the area. Locals like Karabo Rathaba who support the shutdown believe that this will make authorities heed their calls faster. 

“The municipality has been undermining us for a long time and we are taking back our power. You cannot dictate how many times we need to have clean water and provide limited tankers that take time to deliver water,” she says.

Residents supporting the shutdown demand that the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) come and address the problem. 

“We are only fighting to get water nothing else,” says George Sampson a community leader from the Ghana section. “There will be no work and school until the provincial government comes to us.” 

With the shutdown causing the temporarily closure of clinics such a Schonkenville, Thabang and Tumahole, those in need of medications are against total shutdown of important services. Paulinah Lolwane is a chronic patient who couldn’t get her medication on Monday. “How do you punish same people who also needs water by shutting down entire healthcare facilities?” she says.

““The [call for] no work and no school is wrong because that simply dictates over our own rights. This will cause many to be behind with school work, others will lose jobs while the sick will lose their lives due to facilities closed. I do not support any plan that wants to hurt us while it is pushed in our name,” resident Monte Sjakaja tells Health-e. 

No clinic closures

However, the Free State Department of Health denies the reports of clinic closures. 

“All our clinics are fully functioning and there has not been any reported disruptions since yesterday when the shutdown began. Our emergency medical services are also able to perform its functions except that they now have to get police escort when responding to emergency patient cases in service delivery protest affected areas,” spokesperson Mondli Mvambi says on Tuesday. 

A nurse who works at Schonkenville clinic says even health facilities have been hit by water shortages. Asking for her name to be withheld she says the tankers were always late. “We struggle to provide help due to no water and we always closed early because there is no water in Parys. Tanker would always deliver water after lunch.” 

But Mvambi denies this too saying there is running water in health facilities. Regarding the delays from water tankers he explains that “our Jojo tanks are supplied by the municipality and during a strike we often struggle because those who help with water are often intimidated. Surely if this protest lasts long it will impact us negatively.” 

The MEC of Cogta, Toto Makume has sent a delegation to speak with the leaders of the community.- Health-e News