Dry Christmas for Tylden Village Amid Ongoing Water Woes

TYLDEN, outside Komani — Residents of Tylden are facing a dry Christmas day after months of severe water shortages, with little relief in sight. What started as a simple outage in early September has escalated into a full-blown crisis, leaving most of the village without a reliable supply.

A resident who has been following the situation closely provided an update to Komani News:

“Initially, there was no water from early September. We had a community meeting on about 10 December and elected a new operator. He was okay, but there was only one tank to supply the village and one location, so we would run out by the evening. Then, on 17 December, all water dried up. We were told there was no power to the water pump. Eskom had been informed, and we have a reference number — that is all. So we all look forward to a dry Christmas.”

A Crisis Rooted in Vandalism

The water problems reportedly began earlier this year after vandalism at the local pump station, including the theft of copper wiring. Supply never fully recovered. Some areas, including the mission section of Tylden, saw brief relief, but most of the village remained without water for weeks at a time. Rainwater tanks and private reserves ran dry, leaving residents desperate.

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

CHDM: Operator Issues Worsened the Situation

On 11 December, Komani News contacted the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) for comment. Municipal spokesperson Thobeka Mqamelo explained that Tylden’s water system is a borehole-based rationing supply shared among central area farmers, the town hall, Tennesy, and Lokshini.

Mqamelo confirmed that the main issue was the local operator:

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

• Each area has storage tanks to hold supply while water rotates.

• The community-appointed operator did not follow the trained schedule, causing extended outages.

To stabilise the system, a new operator has been selected and is currently undergoing training, with a municipal plumber temporarily monitoring daily operations. CHDM urged residents to report issues via official channels, including the toll-free line 0800 100 100.

Residents Still Struggle

Despite these measures, villagers say little has changed.

“We got water, then it stopped again. Tennesy eventually got water, but the actual village still has nothing. We’ve been told it’s the operator who isn’t doing his job — if that’s the case, why wasn’t he replaced sooner?”

The operator is a locally appointed community member who receives a stipend, not a municipal employee. Residents are calling another community meeting tomorrow at 11am to demand clarity and action. Video footage shared with Komani News shows dry taps and stagnant containers left untouched for days.

Service Delivery Problems Beyond Water

Water shortages are only one of Tylden’s challenges. Residents also report:

• No refuse removal, causing illegal dumping.

• Sewage leaks, including claims of a truck dumping waste in old locations.

• Roads ungraded since before COVID, with potholes worsening after rain.

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

Looking Ahead

While CHDM says normal rationing should resume once the new operator is fully trained, residents remain cautious. With the festive season here, many fear a dry Christmas is inevitable. Komani News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they are received.