Note to Broadcasters: Find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Hendriëtte van Huyssteen
The DA in the Naledi Local Municipality is calling for an investigation into the water tanker contracts awarded by the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality to supply water to residents in Vryburg since the taps run dry for days on end.
Residents in Vryburg face a humanitarian crisis because both the local and district municipalities fail to supply dependable and sustainable piped water to homes and businesses.
In a bid to alleviate the water crisis, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality contracted the services of water tanker operators. However, allegations have been made that the same water tanker contractors meant to supply emergency water are stealing piped water from either the water reticulation infrastructure and/or municipal fire hydrants or deliberately sabotaging the municipal infrastructure to benefit from this crisis.
To add insult to injury, Vryburg residents are required to pay R300.00 per refill of their JoJo tanks. The ANC in Naledi and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati have created a water crisis due to their incompetence and neglect, then contracted water tankers to alleviate the crisis, and then force residents to pay for the emergency relief.
The alleged theft contributes to various problematic factors that prevent the supply of piped water.
The DA’s request for the investigation into the water tanker contracts includes tabling a report identifying each water tanker contractor, the duration and cost of the contract, the details of the owner(s) and/or board of directors for each company, and whether any local or district municipal officials of political office bearers hold any interest in any of the water tanker companies. Each contractor must also be investigated for the possible theft of water.
In addition, the DA requested the establishment of a central access-controlled point for all water tanker contractors for the monitored refill of water to prevent further theft.
The DA has made several requests to the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District and Naledi municipal administrations to address the constant water supply interruptions residents continue to endure, however, instead of fixing the problem, both municipalities only offer excuses, blaming either the Magalies Water Board, which is unable to supply water for a number of reasons, ranging from a lack of chemicals to pipe bursts along the main water supply line, or claiming that repairs on municipal infrastructure are to blame.
The supply of clean and safe piped water to residents and businesses is not a complicated matter. While the ANC in Naledi and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati continue to run after petty excuses, DA governments across the country supply clean water to more than 17 million South Africans every day.