Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English, Afrikaans, and Setswana by Portia Burrell
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Matlosana expresses grave concern and outrage at the growing number of open trenches and unrepaired road surfaces left across communities by the municipality’s Water Department.
Residents’ lives are being placed at serious risk by the municipality’s failure to properly close and rehabilitate sites after burst-pipe repairs and other water infrastructure work. Trenches are left open for extended periods without warning signs, safety barriers, or hazard markings (see photo here).
This negligence nearly caused serious injury on Friday afternoon when a bakkie drove into an unmarked trench (see photo here). The driver’s visibility was severely affected by direct sunlight and, with no warning indicators in place, the incident narrowly avoided becoming a fatal accident (see photo here).
This is not an isolated case.
Across Matlosana, roads are collapsing and deteriorating due to poor workmanship and the municipality’s failure to coordinate between departments. After water repairs are completed, job cards are meant to be submitted to the Roads Department for rehabilitation. That process is clearly being ignored, leaving streets unsafe and unfinished (see photos here and here).
Despite repeated attempts to escalate these dangers, the municipality has failed to respond.
The consequences for residents are severe:
- Roads remain unsafe and damaged.
- Motorists face growing vehicle repair costs.
- Pedestrians are exposed to open hazards.
- Homes are placed at structural risk.
In one particularly alarming case, the size and proximity of an open trench have already damaged a nearby home’s boundary wall, putting the household’s safety at risk (see photo here). Yet the site remains unattended.
The City of Matlosana has a constitutional duty to provide basic services and maintain public infrastructure. Instead, residents are confronted with declining service delivery and a municipality absent from its responsibilities.
The DA calls for urgent action:
- Immediate closure and securing of all open trenches.
- Installation of proper warning signage and barricades at every work site.
- Fast-tracking road rehabilitation after water repairs.
- A full audit of all outstanding water and road repair sites.
- Accountability for departments failing to follow interdepartmental processes.
Residents deserve safe roads, responsible governance and service delivery that protects lives and property.
The DA will continue to hold the ANC-run municipality accountable and will pursue this matter through every available oversight mechanism until real action is taken.