It's been a week of horror for ratepayers living in Mdantsane.
We live in anxiety, wondering how long the little water we've managed to collect will last.
In NU1 we also live in fear of a sudden power outage because lights began flickering on and off ever since the strike began a week ago. Some people in my area have not had any electricity since the start of the strike.
Households are overwhelmed with the stench of garbage piling up, which according to instructions from the municipality, may not be put outside as nobody from BCM is coming to collect it. It's difficult to put it outside anyway, as many houses in the township are not fenced off, and to avoid dogs scavenging through the rubbish, the refuse bags have to be placed indoors.
On top of that, there's the nightmare of having to think twice about relieving yourself, because you can't just ordinarily go to the toilet as you wish. You need to consider where you're going to flush and if there's enough water to either cook, drink or bath in before you throw water down the toilet – it's quite a stretch to the nearest tap, which is often overcrowded by many others just as desperate as you.
Then there's the issue of not knowing what to wear, as laundry piles up.
Living in the city right now is a complete nightmare...