The DA in Govan Mbeki is taken aback by the municipality’s failure to keep residents abreast of water scarcity across the municipality.
It has become public knowledge that the municipality is once again in a water crisis. We understand that the problem started on the 21st of January when Rand Water was working on a water pipeline supplying Govan Mbeki and other municipalities.
The issue then escalated to a transformer that was responsible for supplying Bloemendal pumps. At the time, we were informed that the transformer was faulty and it was due to be replaced.
The replacement took days and residents were without water for over seven days. After the transformer was replaced, some residents got water while others remained without consistent water supply.
Currently, the residents keep on getting low pressure water and no water in some parts of the municipality. It is concerning that the municipality is not forthcoming with information while residents are deprived of a basic service.
The DA reached out to Rand Water for clarity on the matter. The water utility company informed us that their technicians are still assessing the situation and that feedback will be given.
Considering that the municipality owes more than R400 million to Rand Water, the DA is concerned that residents might be subject to throttling due to the municipality’s failure to settle their outstanding debt.
Last year, Rand Water communicated that Govan Mbeki was one of the municipalities that were threatening its financial position. They also listed Govan Mbeki as a direct threat to its medium and long term sustainability.
Bethal and Secunda are the most affected areas. Secunda is the economic backbone of Govan Mbeki. With the devastating unemployment rate, it is appalling to note the municipality’s lack of substantial efforts to reignite the local economy.
The DA reiterates that the municipality must ensure that there is long-term viability of the water management system. It is high time for the ANC administration to take accountability and make sure that services are provided to the residents.