3 Months, No Water: Tylden Residents Fed Up as Crisis Drags On

Tylden Still Dry After 3 Months as Water Chaos Deepens Outside Komani

For more than 3 months, residents of Tylden — a community outside Komani — have been living through a water nightmare that many say is “worse than anything we’ve experienced before”. What began as a simple outage has spiralled into a full-blown service collapse, leaving entire sections of the community bone-dry.

While some areas briefly received water in recent weeks, large parts of the village remain without a single drop from their taps. Confusion, frustration and finger-pointing now hang over the town as residents demand answers.

A Crisis That Started With Vandalism — Then Got Worse

The water problems reportedly began earlier this year after vandalism at the local pump station, including the theft of copper wiring. Residents say the supply never fully recovered.

Some parts of Tylden — including the mission area — saw intermittent relief, but most of the village remained without water for weeks at a time. Rainwater tanks ran dry. The mission’s private tank, often used by desperate residents during outages, also emptied.

“We’ve been dry for weeks,” one resident said. “It comes on, then disappears again. You can’t plan anything — you just hope.”

CHDM: ‘The Operator Was Not Doing the Job’

On 11 December 2025, Komani News contacted Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) for an official explanation.

Municipal spokesperson Thobeka Mqamelo responded with detailed information, confirming that Tylden’s water system is a borehole-based rationing supply shared between the central area farmers, the town hall, Tennesy, and Lokshini.

The municipality says the real problem was the operator.

Mqamelo confirmed:

• Water is supposed to be rotated daily between the three main zones.

• Each area has storage tanks to hold water while supply shifts to the others.

• The local operator appointed by the ward councillor and community “did not operate the system as trained and mandated.”

• As a result, certain areas were not opened or closed at the correct times — causing extended outages.

To stabilise the situation:

• A new community-appointed operator has been selected and is currently undergoing training.

• A municipal plumber has been temporarily assigned to run and monitor the system daily.

• CHDM says disruptions occurred during this transition.

Mqamelo urged residents to report issues through CHDM’s official channels, including the toll-free line 0800 100 100.

Residents: ‘The Village Still Has No Water’

Despite the municipality’s explanation, villagers say they are still battling.

A resident who contacted Komani News shared an update:

“We got water, then it stopped again. Tennesy location had nothing for ages but eventually got water. The actual village still has no water. We’ve been told it’s the operator who isn’t doing his job. If that’s the case, why hasn’t he been replaced until now?”

She added that the operator is not a municipal employee but a locally appointed community member who receives a stipend.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, she said:

“I’ve approached everyone I can for help. I’ve had good dealings with management, but there’s still no improvement.”

Residents have called a community meeting for tomorrow at 11am, hoping for clarity and immediate action.

Video footage taken by the resident this morning — shared with Komani News — shows bone-dry taps and stagnant household containers left untouched for days.

Service Delivery Breakdown Beyond Water

Water is not Tylden’s only problem.

Residents reported:

• No refuse removal, leading to illegal dumping.

• Sewage leaks, including claims of a sewage truck allegedly dumping waste in the old location.

• Roads not graded since before COVID, with potholes worsening after every rain.

One resident summed up the mood:

“This community has been forgotten. We keep reporting, but nothing changes.”

What Happens Next?

With a new operator being trained, CHDM says normal rationing should resume soon — but residents remain cautious.

Komani News will continue monitoring this developing story and publish official updates as they are received.