Dear Editor
Democratic Alliance (DA) representatives in the Koukamma Municipality have developed a comprehensive plan to tackle the persistent and preventable water supply issues that are causing undue hardship for residents, particularly in the Tsitsikamma area.
Despite the area’s natural abundance of water resources, including the Tsitsikamma mountains that capture significant water volumes, residents in several local villages are facing severe water shortages due to the inept ANC-led government’s mismanagement and neglect of its water resources and infrastructure.
The DA’s plan includes petitions that will be submitted to Council, requests for interventions by the provincial and national government, and engagements with key local stakeholders to find long-term solutions.
A recent oversight inspection revealed that the residents of Coldstream and Woodlands are deprived of a consistent water supply, not due to drought, but because the local municipal water pump station is non-operational. This easily fixable issue is preventing the efficient transfer of water from the mountains to the local reservoir, leading to intermittent access to poor-quality water.
In Misgund, residents face water shedding, with access to water for only two to eight hours per day. This is despite the presence of a new, state-of-the-art water pump and purification plant at the village entrance. The issue lies in the insufficient water allocation from the nearby river, which cannot meet the community’s demand.
Joubertina also faces significant water challenges, with the town’s water treatment works in disrepair. Only one pump is operational, and the purification plant is dilapidated, resulting in inadequate access to clean water for both residential and business areas.
The water crisis plaguing the Koukamma Municipality is a stark consequence of gross mismanagement and neglect. This systemic failure to deliver essential services flagrantly infringes upon the fundamental human right of residents to access a reliable and sustainable water supply.
The DA will fight for the people of Koukamma, demanding swift and decisive action from the municipality to address these pressing challenges and establish a reliable, sustainable water supply for the affected communities.
Regards
Henni Britz MP
Koukamma Constituency Leader
Sir Squire
Fun South African Fact: Can you think of any other place in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived on the same street? Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu had houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
Twinkle
Vatican City: You have two cows. They were both taken advantage of as calves.