Questions raised about water truck usage after fatal incident

On Sunday, 2 August, a fatal incident occurred in Adams Mission, a suburb of Durban, South Africa. A man named Celani Zungu was struck and killed by an eThekwini Municipality water truck. Zungu's brother, Sakhile, stated that Celani was a bystander who went to investigate the situation, not involved in a confrontation with the driver.

The driver has since been suspended. The cause of the accident remains under investigation, with officials noting that it is not being treated as a hit-and-run as the driver did not flee the scene. Since the incident, tap water has returned to residents' homes for the first time since mid-June. This has sparked questions about the reliability of water supply and the ongoing use of water trucks.

The municipality confirmed that water availability depends on reservoir levels, extraction rates, water pressure, and system stability. Residents claim that illegal water sales have led the municipality to prioritize households willing to pay, with drivers selling water through WhatsApp and phone calls. In May 2024, a private truck distributing water was traced to Multi Solutions Trading, a municipality-contracted company, but no investigation was conducted by the municipality.

In September 2024, six water truck companies had their contracts extended, while Multi Solutions Trading was excluded. There are concerns about the municipality's handling of water sales and the safety of residents who rely on municipal water trucks for their needs.