Businesses faces closure due to lack of services

She has been operating since 2015.

The area has not had electricity for a week now due to cable theft. Residents also go for days without water.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “Most businesses are closing because of the service delivery issues we have here. I’m also on the verge of closing my day care centre. We are badly affected – most of my kids’ parents are municipal workers and they don’t get paid regularly. When they don’t get paid, I don’t get paid as well.

“There’s also no water at the crèche currently. The other time it was a month of no water. Our tank went dry. I had to ask my parents to bring me water. We sometimes have to use buckets to clean up kids and when they go to the toilet. It’s not easy because you cannot control it.”

Lucian Lotterang, the owner of Matlakeng car wash and hair salon, said his businesses need water and electricity.

“But because this is something we struggle with in this community, business is slow and almost non-existent,” said Lotterang.

Co-owner Olebogeng Seretelo added: “Without water, we can’t wash cars or people’s hair as the nature of the business requires and there is no alternative solution to the problem.

“Sometimes we can go for three days without water. On the other side, electricity is a problem. We are losing customers and it’s hard to get by because even jobs are unavailable. It’s a jungle here.”