By Marius Opperman – DA Councillor in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
- Water test results have shown that Thaba Chweu water is unsafe.
- This exposes residents to diseases and the municipality is not complying with SANS.
- The DA has urged the Executive Mayor to address these shortcomings.
24 August 2026
Release: Immediate
The DA in Thaba Chweu calls on the Executive Mayor, Friddah Nkadimeng to urgently engage with her administration and come up with a plan detailing how the municipality will enhance its water quality. This comes after water sampling results declared water from various sources in the municipality as unsafe.
The testing of water samples was conducted on 18 and 19 August by iLab in conjunction with Afriforum. The test result showed that the water contained coliform bacteria (Petrifilm) at a level flagged as unsafe, while the alkalinity was also at a warning level.
Samples taken from a tap in Lydenburg showed that the water chlorine level was zero. This raises concern over the municipality’s water purification processes before being channeled into the supply system.
The municipality needs to take note of the fact that South Africa’s drinking-water standards require water supplied for human consumption to comply with SANS 241, and the Department of Water and Sanitation requires municipalities to undertake regular water-quality monitoring.
This situation is not only unacceptable, but it is also a violation of residents’ constitutional right to access clean, safe drinking water. Our people deserve better than this. They deserve clean and compliant tap water.
The people of Thaba Chweu deserve better than broken infrastructure, sewage spills and unanswered questions. They deserve a municipality that puts public health first, maintains its infrastructure, tests its water properly and tells residents the truth.
Over the years, it has become clear to note that the ANC government is failing at providing services to people of Thaba Chweu. The DA remains the only party with an exceptional track record in governance. In the 2026 Local Government Election, residents should elect the DA. By doing so, we will ensure that water and sanitation revenue is reinvested directly into maintaining and repairing critical water infrastructure.
Media Enquiries:
Marius Opperman
DA Councillor Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
079 974 1737