Augustino Wudu, Chairperson of the South Sudan Union of Persons with Disabilities, speaks to Eye Radio on October 14, 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

The Union of Persons with Disabilities reports that individuals with disabilities have been significantly impacted by water tanker drivers’ refusal to sell water at the new rates set by the Juba City Council.

Augustino Wudu said as of yesterday, the water tank drivers were limited in number and were selling water at the previous price of 5,000 pounds per drum.

According to him, this is making it difficult for persons with disabilities to access safe drinking water and water for domestic use.

“They have stopped moving in some areas. So, this morning when they came there, they refused to sell water even though I tried I had 2,500 ssp. He poured the water when I produced the money, but he refused I said no that is what we heard,” Wudu explained how the situation affected persons with disabilities.

“They are complaining about the fuel that the prices of the feeling are not reduced,” he said.

“I think this is the issue that I think the government should look into critically because you see if the water is sold at 5,000 and considering the communities, some people cannot raise even 1000 per day,” he added.

“Now people disability those who are not working and they don’t have any source of daily income but consider that the majority of people with disabilities, how can they survive and water is one of the necessities,” he concluded.

Over the weekend, some residents of Juba said they had gone days without access to water for domestic use due to the absence of water tankers on the streets.

The water shortage has reportedly been attributed to a strike by tanker drivers, who have refused to operate under a new tariff imposed by the Juba City Council.

The new water prices set by the city authorities require water tankers to sell a drum of water at 2,500 South Sudanese pounds within the city and 3,500 pounds in the suburbs.

However, the drivers rejected the rates, arguing that they were insufficient to cover the rising costs of operating their tankers, including maintenance, fuel, and traffic fees.

Augustino Wudu, however, appealed to the government to find appropriate measures to resolve the issue.

“I am appealing to the government that the government should come out with a clear policy to regulate the water apart from other commodities that are imported from outside but the water is not imported from outside,” Wudu stated.

“The government should impose and they should supervise these trucks because sometimes they can issue an order but without supervision, they cannot be implemented,” he said.

“They should be close to supervise that these orders are implemented, there is nobody above the government,” he said.