Residents of Naas in the Nkomazi local Municipality have shut down a major international border crossing in a desperate protest over a water crisis they say has plagued their community for seventeen years.
Frustrated citizens barricaded the busiest intersection leading to the borders of Mozambique and Eswatini using rocks and debris early Tuesday. The protest forced the closure of the vital transport route, as well as a local shopping complex and surrounding businesses, bringing economic activity to a standstill.
The central allegation from the community is one of systemic corruption. Protestors accuse the Nkomazi Local Municipality of colluding with private water tanker owners for financial gain, alleging that the tankers are deliberately sabotaging the main water pipeline to create a dependency on their paid services.
According to residents, a meeting was held last Tuesday with municipal officials where an agreement was reached to halt the operation of private water tankers for a seven-day trial period to investigate these claims. However, residents state the tankers resumed work almost immediately after the meeting concluded.
“When we reported the matter, we were told to deal with the issue ourselves. We are here to fight for ourselves,” one resident said from the protest site.
The protestors, representing almost seven affected villages, detailed the extreme hardships they face. Many stated they frequently go days, or even a full month, without a reliable water supply.
“17 years. We have not had water for 17 years now,” another resident stated. “We hold meetings with [the municipality] and with water tanker owners who are a big problem here because they go to our reservoir and close the pipes so we don’t get water.”
The financial burden was also a key point of contention. Residents reported paying R500 for water and recently receiving notice of an increase to R800. “If you want water, you must pay. Without that 500 rand, you won’t get water. It’s been months now without water,” one woman explained, holding an empty bucket. “I’m holding this bucket because of poverty. I’m tired of buying water.”
In response, a spokesperson for the Nkomazi Local Municipality acknowledged that private water tanker owners are a part of the problem, suggesting the water challenges are partly “man-made just to make business.”
The spokesperson confirmed the municipality has now halted the provision of water through private tankers. “As per the community request for the next 7 days, private water tankers won’t be allowed,” the official said.
Despite this announcement, residents have vowed to continue their protest, calling for Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu to personally address their long-standing concerns. The community says they will not relent until they see a permanent and consistent solution to the water crisis that has defined their lives for nearly two decades.
