The family of Celani Zungu is demanding justice after he was allegedly run over by an eThekwini Municipality water tanker in Adams Mission, south of Durban.
The 38-year-old died during a confrontation over a water delivery on Monday.
His family said the tanker had arrived to supply one household, while residents believed the limited water should be shared across the wider community.
An argument reportedly broke out between residents and the tanker driver.
Zungu’s brother, Sakhile, told eNCA that his brother went to investigate the commotion before he was struck by the vehicle.
Family demands accountability
Sakhile alleged that the driver used the truck to push community members away.
He said the vehicle reversed before moving forward and running over his brother.
The family claims Zungu was driven over again as residents attempted to reach him.
These allegations remain under investigation and have not yet been tested in court.
Police have opened a culpable homicide case against the tanker driver.
The eThekwini Municipality has also launched an internal investigation into the incident.
Residents said the community had been without reliable running water for months after infrastructure was damaged during the 2022 floods.
This left households dependent on municipal tanker deliveries for access to water.
WaterCAN said the killing highlighted the consequences of prolonged water service failures.
The organisation called for an urgent, transparent and independent investigation to establish exactly what happened and ensure accountability.
It warned that emergency tanker deliveries should not become a permanent substitute for reliable water infrastructure.
Municipality awaits investigation
eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba described the incident as a tragic accident.
He said the municipality would not speculate about the circumstances and had referred the matter to law enforcement for investigation.
Zungu’s family, however, wants answers about the driver’s conduct and the events that led to his death.
The criminal and municipal investigations are continuing.
No court finding has been made against the tanker driver, and authorities have not yet announced whether further action will follow.