Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Pieter Swart
The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the continued collapse of basic services in Ward 15, Matlosana, which reflects serious and ongoing governance failures by the ANC-led City of Matlosana.
Residents are facing frequent electricity outages and have endured days of little to no water, or extremely low water pressure, particularly in Meiringspark. This situation is unacceptable and undermines residents’ right to reliable basic services.
Communities including Songloed, De Clerkville, Elandia and Elandsheuvel, which are supplied by a separate 6ML reservoir, are repeatedly affected by ongoing feeder pipe bursts. As a result, approximately 2 500 households, two schools, and several local businesses continue to suffer unreliable water supply and severe disruption to daily life and economic activity.
This crisis is not new. Water supply failures have persisted since mid-December 2025, yet the municipality has failed to implement any sustainable, long-term solution. This neglect places unnecessary strain on households, disrupts schooling, and harms local economic activity.
The water and electricity failures are further compounded by the near-total absence of routine maintenance, including:
- Dangerous and unrepaired potholes;
- Overgrown grass and neglected parks;
- Lack of tree pruning, which causes power outages even during light winds;
- Failure to properly rehabilitate roads after pipe bursts.
Residents deserve dignity, reliability, and accountability, the standard consistently delivered in DA-led municipalities. Instead, Ward 15 residents are left to endure service collapse while the ANC-led municipality offers excuses instead of solutions.
The DA calls on the Executive Mayor and the Municipal Manager to immediately stabilise water and electricity supply, implement a permanent solution to recurring feeder pipe failures, and restore routine maintenance services across Ward 15.
The people of Matlosana cannot be expected to live without basic services while poor planning and weak leadership continue to hold communities back. The DA will continue to fight for functional, accountable local government and the delivery of basic services that residents can rely on.