We are pleased that following our letter to Mayor Ndhlovu, certain water pumps and faulty valves in Mkhondo Local Municipality were attended to, and as a result, residents can access water through their taps.
However, despite the above victory, the DA remains concerned with the municipality’s Technical Service Division. There are continuous breakdowns at our water treatment plants which is inconveniencing the livelihoods of our residents. Week in and week out, the municipality will be confronted with a breakdown and the repairs take forever to fix. The DA reiterates that the municipality needs to replace its deteriorating infrastructure.
It is understood that the municipality is battling with the high demand of water across Mkhondo, which causes a lot of strain on the supply. In a radio interview, the mayor confirmed that the municipality produces only 18 ML of water a day and not the 36 ML they are supposed to be producing, leaving them with a shortfall of 18 ML.
In addition, the mayor also attributed the municipality’s water shortages to businesses which source water through illegal connections.
Despite this, the DA is of the view that the current ANC administration has failed to derive a solid plan for water provision. The Technical Service Division in this municipality has also failed in its mandate of providing technical support and expertise to enable service delivery.
We find it unacceptable that communities in Mkhondo have had to rely on handouts from business owners for water. A basic service that is enshrined in the constitution of our country.
Therefore, we call on Mayor Ndhlovu to devise a detailed action plan on how the municipality will deal with its water crisis.