News24 reports that Rand Water is preparing to lay criminal charges against customers who allegedly sent abusive emails to its customer care centre during water shortages in several areas in Gauteng.

The water utility's spokesperson, Justice Mohale, said staffers were insulted and accused of incompetence in emails sent by angry customers, who had gone for days without water. Several areas in Gauteng, including public hospitals, have experienced severe water shortages for a few weeks. "The employees are also human. They cannot tolerate such profanities directed at them. Some customers even called in, using the F-word against staffers. Rand Water views the tone and the abusive language used in the emails as unacceptable, undesirable and malicious to its brand," Mohale said on Saturday. He added: "The sender of one email implied that water shortages in his area was as a result of the incompetence of Rand Water employees. This accusation is unfounded and baseless, since water supply is dependent on interlinkages with other service providers in the water value chain." Mohale said two letters had been drafted and would soon be emailed to the senders with regard to impending criminal charges. He advised that formal charges would be laid with the police in due course.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at News24

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