Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Coenrad Herbst
The Democratic Alliance condemns the ongoing collapse of governance in the ANC-led Mamusa Local Municipality following Eskom’s announcement that Schweizer Reneke will face scheduled electricity interruptions three times daily from Friday, 8 May 2026 (see notice here).
This crisis is the direct result of years of financial mismanagement, poor governance, and the municipality’s continued failure to meet its obligations to Eskom.
Residents of Schweizer Reneke continue to purchase electricity and honour their financial responsibilities through prepaid systems, yet they are now forced to suffer the consequences of a municipality that has failed to manage public finances responsibly or secure a sustainable agreement with Eskom.
Businesses, farmers, vulnerable households, and working families now face severe disruption to daily life and economic activity because the municipality failed to act before the situation reached crisis point.
Equally concerning is the complete dysfunction within Council itself. Attempts to convene a Special Council Meeting to address the electricity crisis reportedly failed due to the absence of a quorum. At a time when residents are facing prolonged outages and uncertainty, municipal leadership remains absent and unable to provide direction or solutions.
The difference between Schweizer Reneke and Ipelegeng further exposes the municipality’s failure. Residents in Ipelegeng, who purchase electricity directly from Eskom, will continue receiving uninterrupted supply. This makes it clear that residents are not the problem, but the failure lies entirely with the municipality.
The deterioration of Mamusa Municipality is visible across the town:
- Roads are damaged and filled with potholes.
- Basic maintenance and service delivery have deteriorated.
- Public spaces are neglected and poorly maintained.
- Streetlights remain broken.
- Businesses are suffering financial losses due to unreliable electricity supply.
- Residents are forced to spend more on fuel, generators, and alternative energy solutions.
- Municipal offices are frequently inaccessible, while senior management remains absent and unaccountable.
Residents deserve a municipality that functions, leadership that is present, and governance that places communities first.
The DA therefore calls for urgent provincial intervention into the financial and administrative collapse of Mamusa Local Municipality, as well as clear accountability for those responsible for allowing the situation to deteriorate to this extent.
Communities cannot continue paying the price for political failure, poor governance, and the abandonment of basic constitutional responsibilities.