Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English by Soret Viljoen
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has will again write to the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) to intervene in this water crisis caused by the mismanagement of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMD) and Tswaing Local Municipality.
Both municipalities have failed to comply with the Water Services Act of 108 of 1997 and the Constitution of SA section 27 (1) (b) and 27 (2), leaving the residents of Tswaing without water for days, and even weeks.
12 days without water has Delareyville businesses and residents fuming with anger. Out of 16 boreholes, none are operational. The Geysdorp pump station has eight boreholes, lacks a pump, motor, and control box. The Blesbokpan boreholes are functional, but the main pipeline has several leaks.
Residents from Ward 14 in Delareyville are tired of making plans to get water and paying extra to buy it from borehole owners. Borehole owners have waiting lists and have to move to keep up with the demand.
This is an ongoing struggle in Delareyville for years. An ongoing fight between residents of Delareyville, the NMMD, and Tswaing Local Municipality. Afriforum already obtained a High Court order in Mahikeng in 2021 that ordered both municipalities to restore and maintain the water supply in Delareyville.
However, both the NMMD and Tswaing Local Municipality pay no respect to the High Court in Mahikeng or a water petition that was handed to them in 2024, signed by 1500 rates and taxpayers.
Residents of Ward 13 in Ottosdal have been experiencing this on a daily basis for months now. They endure unexpected water outages that last for days. Only 10 of the 36 boreholes are operational.
There is no communication with the businesses and residents to keep them informed on the water outage and how long it will last. They also failed to establish emergency water points.
The community is unable to reach them, while thousands of people remain in a severe crisis without water. Efforts to get hold of them and efforts to restore water in Tswaing, specifically in Wards 13 and 14, have been failing for 12 days now.
The DA remains committed and will not stand by while Tswaing residents are abandoned.