Urgent Intervention Needed in Greater Taung’s Escalating Water Crisis

ActionSA has today submitted a formal letter to the Executive Mayor of the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, Cllr. Motseokae Sense Maje, and Municipal Manager, Mr Itumeleng Ronald Jonas, calling for immediate intervention into the prolonged water crisis affecting communities across Greater Taung.

The District Municipality has been given seven working days to account for the ongoing collapse of water services and present a clear plan to restore reliable water supply. 

The submission follows engagements conducted by ActionSA with residents, Branch Coordinators and community leaders across Wards 3, 5, 6, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. The findings reveal communities where taps have reportedly been dry for years, households receiving water only once every seven to ten days, and families surviving through boreholes and JoJo tanks. Residents further informed ActionSA that many households are forced to spend approximately R350 to purchase 2,500 litres of water, an impossible expense for many already struggling to make ends meet.

Most disturbing is that some residents have resorted to collecting water from rivers and other untreated sources also used by livestock. No community should be forced to choose between going without water or consuming water that places their health and dignity at risk. This has become a reality for many families in Greater Taung. It is both unacceptable and deeply alarming.

In the formal letter, ActionSA has demanded a comprehensive report on the causes of the crisis, a ward-by-ward assessment of the condition of water infrastructure, details of emergency measures currently in place, a time-bound implementation plan to restore supply to every affected community, full disclosure of maintenance and infrastructure projects, and clarity on the respective responsibilities of the District Municipality and Magalies Water.

The evidence gathered points to more than isolated service interruptions. It raises serious questions about the maintenance of critical infrastructure, the implementation of water projects, emergency planning and whether the District Municipality is fulfilling its obligations as the Water Services Authority responsible for ensuring access to safe and reliable drinking water.

Should the Municipality fail to respond adequately within the stipulated timeframe, ActionSA will escalate the matter to the relevant oversight bodies, including the Member of the Executive Council responsible for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, the South African Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector, the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the Auditor-General of South Africa. 

The people of Greater Taung cannot continue to live without a service guaranteed by the Constitution. ActionSA will continue to pursue every lawful avenue to ensure that residents receive the clean, reliable water to which they are legally and constitutionally entitled.

ActionSA Michael Beaumont (National Chairperson/Strategic Lead) The Architect: Often described as the “brains” behind the party’s operational machinery. Background: He served as the Chief of Staff to Herman Mashaba during his Johannesburg Mayoralty and was a high-level DA administrator before that. The Book: Authored The Accidental Mayor, detailing the challenges of coalition governance in South Africa.