CAPE TOWN – The Western Cape government says it is unable to provide timeframes on when water supply will be fully restored in Hermanus.
The seaside town in the Overstrand has been without water all week after heavy rains caused major damage to roads and infrastructure.
Damage to water supply systems led to taps running dry.
Western Cape MEC for Local Government Anton Bredell said teams were doing their best to repair the damaged water system.
“The teams will have to first of all get new pipes because they cannot use the pipes that they recovered because it was too damaged. They need to do it right because that pipes carry a lot of pressure, so you don’t want to connect and then when the pressure is coming through, it just bursts again.”
In the meantime, Bredell said that they would make sure residents had enough water with the tankers they would supply.
“We’ve also got professional divers in, in the Palmiet area, to try and clear the pump station there. If we can get that pump station up and running, that will relieve some of the pressure on the system.”
Bredell also says they’re not sure yet whether their call for assistance from the SANDF will be granted.
Earlier this week, the Western Cape government wrote to the president asking for the deployment of the military to support recovery efforts.
MEC Bredell said they requested the help for support with rebuilding bridges that were washed away by flood waters.
“So the head of the SANDF will now be contacted and they will start the plan, but between Sanral, SANDF, our disaster management, let’s hope that that will be realised, because we need that expertise to come and help us.”
On Wednesday, during a media briefing, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya acknowledged receipt of the request.
He added that considering the scale and magnitude of the destruction in the Western Cape, President Cyril Ramaphosa would look at the request “favourably”.