Juba residents languish in thirst as water sellers park tankers for fourth day

Water tankers filling on the newly-built water-point in Gudelle suburb, Juba (Picture Credit score: Koang Pal Chang/Eye Radio)

Some Juba residents say they’ve gone for 4 days with out entry to water for home use, a scenario attributed to an ongoing strike by blue water tankers in protest of value reductions.

In early October, the Metropolis Council launched new water costs, directing water tankers to promote a drum of water at 2,500 South Sudan kilos inside the metropolis and three,500 kilos within the suburbs.

However the drivers reject the charges, arguing that they’re inadequate to cowl the rising prices of working their tankers, together with upkeep, gasoline, and visitors charges.

A number of residents who spoke to Eye Radio have voiced their issues in radio interviews, describing the numerous difficulties they face with out entry to wash water and urge the authorities to resolve the standoff swiftly.

“After the town authorities issued the brand new value for promoting water, the water tankers disappeared from the neighborhoods for the fourth day now, and these tankers are standing in police stations, and we have no idea in the event that they had been stopped or what,” stated Francis from Kor-wiliang.

“However at present there are solely two tanker drivers from South Sudan working; there aren’t any foreigners, and I blame this drawback on the authorities who don’t observe up on the choices they difficulty.”

On his half, Sultan Joseph from Suk Sita in Juba stated the world has now gone for a 3rd day with out water. “Whenever you inform them that there’s a sale value, they disappear and don’t come to the world once more,” he stated.

“We’re struggling the worst due to the absence of water tankers from the world. We had some water tanker drivers whom we handled.”

In response to the continuing water scarcity, Juba Metropolis authorities have enforced an order requiring water tanker drivers to adjust to the newly imposed tariff.

The officers have warned that drivers who violate the pricing laws will face authorized penalties, together with stripping uncompliant drivers of their license.

However regardless of these warnings, the strike continues, leaving residents struggling to satisfy their water wants.

James Joseph, from the Amadi space west of the capital, stated the tankers have continued to remain off work at the same time as residents have been begging them to promote them water at their very own costs.

“We stored asking them to promote us water on the previous value of 5,000 South Sudanese kilos as a result of they didn’t reply. Now we have now been with no drop of water within the neighborhood for 4 days.”

“The issue is exacerbated by the brand new value imposed by the federal government, which the tanker drivers didn’t settle for. We wish the federal government to intervene, even when it returns the previous value of 5,000 South Sudanese kilos.”

“I consider that these tankers want diesel to function and preserve, along with the visitors police who acquire cash from the drivers.”

Deputy Juba Mayor Thiik Thiik Mayardit has acknowledged the difficulties confronted by residents in acquiring ingesting water because of the ongoing absence of water tankers.

Mayardit admitted that the water disaster has worsened as a result of Metropolis Council determined to cut back the water costs with out the involvement of water sellers.

The deputy mayor promised to intervene and maintain consultations with the tanker drivers to resolve the difficulty.

Mayardit stated the Council is at the moment negotiating with the water sellers, and they’re going to resume work on Monday after a mutual settlement on the tariff.

The official stated he has spoken to the ambassador of Eritrea, the place many of the tanker drivers are from, to persuade them to return to work.

“I instructed him that water tankers usually are not working. Some residents had 4 days and others 5 days with out water. I wish to say that everytime you wish to do one thing, you could sit with the opposite facet, and they didn’t agree.”

“That is the place you’ll come up as a authorities, and you’ll say that I’ve tried this and the folks didn’t take heed to me. So, I’m going to make use of my energy as a authorities.”

Juba Metropolis doesn’t have a pipe water distribution system, and its residential areas depend on water tankers for home use. Residents have been calling on the federal government to assemble a extra dependable water distribution community.

“You don’t do one thing with out having an alternative choice to the issue once they had been calling the parliament, and within the parliament, the mayors instructed the parliament, Are you going to assist me in what I’m going to do?”

Deputy Mayor Thiik stated the Eritrean ambassador promised that the water tankers will quickly resume work.

In October 5, Central Equatoria Governor Augustino Jadalla directed Juba Metropolis Council management to withdraw the license of water tankers who proceed to remain off work amid an ongoing strike that has left Juba residents in dire want of water.

The governor instructed the Metropolis Council management to handle urgent points dealing with the town, together with the resistance of water tankers in opposition to its mounted costs in addition to waste administration and improved service supply.