Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English by Tshegofatso Pheto, Setswana by Orapeleng Moremedi, and Afrikaans by Inge Wilken
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Matlosana is deeply concerned about the City’s looming water infrastructure collapse due to the failure of the Project Management Unit (PMU) to effectively manage key water pump station projects.
Oversight inspections have revealed that several pump stations across the City of Matlosana are operating far below capacity, this despite millions of rands having already been spent on refurbishment and upgrades.
See photo here of pump 1, under constant repair. See photo here of pump 2, missing. See photo here of pump 3, has not worked since oversight started in 2022.
In November 2020, an MIG-funded project was approved for the refurbishment of electrical and mechanical equipment at the KOSH water pump stations, with an allocated budget of R39,558,755.77. The contract was awarded to HT Pelatona Projects, which was later terminated for consistent poor performance, after having already been paid R25,103,394.41.
A second contractor, EK Construction and General Trading, was subsequently appointed with an allocated budget of R2,707,591.99, but this contract too was terminated for poor performance, according to the PMU.
Most concerning is the situation at the Ellaton Water Pump Station, which supplies water to more than half of Matlosana’s reservoirs. It is currently functioning at only 30% capacity, with a single operational pump that is under constant repair. The facility requires three functional pumps to meet demand, yet no backup system exists, and there is no plan in place to replace or install the needed pumps.
If the remaining pump collapses, over half of Matlosana’s households will be left without water — a crisis entirely preventable through proper management and oversight.
This gross mismanagement of public funds and critical infrastructure projects is unacceptable.
The DA in Matlosana will continue to conduct oversight visits and hold the municipality accountable to ensure that infrastructure grants are spent responsibly and that residents receive a reliable and sustainable water supply.
Furthermore, the DA will push for the blacklisting of contractors who fail to perform, to prevent them from being awarded future tenders in the City of Matlosana.