Ongoing eThekwini water & electricity crisis takes particular toll on academic activity

DURBAN - The ongoing water and electricity crisis in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, has taken a particular toll on academic activity, with many students and residents leaving the inner city.

On Tuesday, students and residents living in the Thokoza hostel took to the streets burning tyres and rubble to express their frustration over a lack of water and adequate sanitation.

Student leader Buntu Faku led the group of students protesting in the streets of Durban.

“We’ve started demonstrating yesterday [Monday] because we don’t have electricity for the past two weeks... so we are saying enough is enough.”

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Faku said studying had been impossible for the past two weeks, as students needed to contend with power cuts.

He also added that without water, life for students and residents was getting harder by the day.

“Our food has rotten, and we are here to demonstrate to demand [eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi] Kaunda that we want electricity, they must open our electricity.”

Faku also claimed that some hostel dwellers were arrested during the protest. However, police have yet to confirm the number of arrests and charges.