By Boitumelo Makhubedu – DA Councillor in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
-Residents of Matibidi have been without consistent water supply for over a month.
-The community is relying on a stream for water.
-We have asked the Municipal Manager to address this matter.
2 October 2026
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Thaba Chweu calls on the Municipal Manager, Roy Makwakwa, to address water challenges in Matibidi, Apara Section. Since August 20, residents of this area have been without water due to a damaged pump. It is understood that there were also technical glitches with water tankers.
As a result, the community is using the nearby stream to collect water for consumption and laundry. The municipality’s failure to monitor and maintain their water pipeline system has led to continuous water interruptions.During an oversight, we also discovered that water pumps in the municipality are not functioning at an optimal capacity.
This goes to show that the municipality’s Technical Service Department has failed in its mandate of providing technical support and expertise to enable efficient service delivery. The truth of the matter is that the municipality is unable to fulfil its responsibility of provisioning water and sanitation to this community in a sustainable manner.
Every resident has a right to reliable access to water, and municipalities have a constitutional obligation to ensure that water is preserved, protected and delivered dignifiedly to the residents it serves. Concerningly, residents of Matibidi are confronted with unemployment, and due to broken infrastructure a number of local businesses are also affected.
On 4 November, residents will have an opportunity to decide who they want governing Thaba Chweu Local Municipality. A DA-led municipality would prioritise comprehensive, proactive infrastructure maintenance, identifying problems before they become crises, repairing broken pipes and pumps.
It is crucial for the municipality to address these concerns promptly and transparently. The DA will not sit idle while the municipality is failing this community. We will continue to use every available platform including constitutional institutions to fight for residents’ rights and to ensure that Thaba Chweu delivers basic services responsibly, transparently, and lawfully.
For media enquiries:
Boitumelo Makhubedu
DA Councillor in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
079 677 2690