Press Statement by Hannah Peachey: DA Councillor in Msukaligwa Local Municipality
- Some parts of Msukaligwa are confronted with Illegal dumping and basic service challenges.
- Residents are subject to inhumane living conditions.
- We have asked the Executive Mayor to intervene.
16 July 2026
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance(DA) in Msukaligwa has written to the Executive Mayor, Mapulane Nkosi, asking her to put a stop to the ongoing illegal dumping and lack of basic services delivery in Wesselton and other parts of Ermelo.
Following oversight visits and numerous complaints received from the community, we observed serious service delivery challenges, particularly in Wesselton, where illegal dumping has gotten worse.
Residents need to be aware that such practices degrade our environment and pose a serious health risk. The municipality should also take into consideration that residents have the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being in terms of the Constitution.
Residents have also raised concerns regarding the lack of adequate sanitation facilities, this includes reliable access to potable water and electricity. These conditions present significant health, environmental and public safety risks while compromising the dignity and constitutional rights of those affected.
Section 152 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa places an obligation on local governments to ensure the provision of sustainable services, promote a safe and healthy environment, and encourage community involvement in matters of local governance. The current conditions in these areas fall short of these constitutional obligations and require immediate intervention.
In our letter, we urge the Executive Mayor to consider the following interventions:
- Initiate an urgent clean-up operation to address illegal dumping hotspots within Ward 5,
- Provide a comprehensive action plan outlining the municipality’s strategy to address the lack of sanitation, potable water and electricity for affected residents,
- Instruct the relevant municipal departments to conduct an urgent site inspection and engage directly with the affected community,
- Advise what long-term measures will be implemented to prevent the recurrence of illegal dumping and improve basic service delivery.
The residents of Msukaligwa deserve to live in a clean, safe and dignified environment with access to basic municipal services. As the DA, we expect the municipality to attend to this matter with urgency and take the necessary steps to ensure that these longstanding challenges are addressed without further delay.
For Media Enquiries:
Hannah Peachey
DA Councillor Msukaligwa Local Municipality
064 634 4542