Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Arista Goosen
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mahikeng will write to Mayor Khumalo Molefe to request a detailed report on the deserted water projects in Lomanyaneng, as well as the District Municipality’s plan of action to resolve the ongoing water shortages.
An oversight inspection conducted last week revealed two large steel water tanks that were erected within the past five years yet have never been connected to a pump (see picture). Millions of rands have been spent on infrastructure that has never delivered a single drop of water.
In addition to these white elephants, several communal taps have also not been functional for an extended period of time (see picture here and here, and video). As a result, residents are forced to travel long distances to access the only working water point in the area or pay exorbitant prices to purchase water privately.
The DA has also received serious allegations that the local ward councillor is selling water from his private borehole. If true, this constitutes blatant exploitation and may explain the lack of urgency in addressing the community’s plight.
Lomanyaneng is not an isolated case. Several villages across the district continue to suffer water shortages due to abandoned or poorly managed infrastructure projects.
The DA therefore calls on Mayor Molefe to table a comprehensive report before Council detailing:
- The number of steel tanks and water projects that remain incomplete or unused;
- The reasons for these failures; and
- The corrective steps to ensure all water infrastructure becomes fully operational.
Running projects effectively has never been the District Municipality’s strong point. Following the controversy surrounding the Municipal Manager and the Infrastructure Directorate over material irregularities, the DA will intensify its oversight to ensure that funding earmarked for water and sanitation infrastructure is spent transparently, efficiently, and to the direct benefit of residents.
The people of Lomanyaneng — and the greater Mahikeng community — deserve better than empty tanks and broken promises.