Kimberley residents frustrated as water outage continues into Monday

KIMBERLEY residents woke up to another day without water on Monday morning, despite earlier assurances that supply would be restored.

The Sol Plaatje Municipality confirmed in a public notice issued at 7.40am on Monday that the emergency water supply interruption remains in place due to ongoing Eskom repair work.

According to the municipality, Eskom maintenance teams are still repairing a broken cross arm on the 132 kV Holsdam-Ulco overhead power line at pole 18 on the Holsdam side. The damaged elevated electrical supply network powers Riverton and directly affects the operation of the Newton water reservoirs.

As a precautionary measure, the Newton reservoirs were switched off when the power supply fault occurred on Sunday night to prevent water levels from being depleted.

The prolonged outage has sparked growing frustration among residents, many of whom took to Facebook to voice their concerns early on Monday morning.

“It’s Monday; how do we shower and clean ourselves without water?” one resident asked.

Residents expressed concern about starting the work week without basic services, with several highlighting the impact on hygiene, households with children, and those heading to work or school.

The municipality said it is consulting with Eskom and will provide an estimated time for the completion of repairs once confirmed. Further updates are expected to follow.

In the meantime, residents remain without clarity on when the water supply will be restored, as frustrations continue to mount across Kimberley.