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Legislature Takes Long-Overdue Step Toward Addressing Bcm Water Crisis

Dear Editor

The people of Buffalo City Metro should receive some relief following the adoption of a Democratic Alliance-sponsored motion in the Provincial Legislature today, calling for urgent intervention into the water crisis plaguing Buffalo City Metro (BCM).

The motion, which was passed without objection, compels the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to engage with the Buffalo City Municipality, Amatola Water Board, and other stakeholders to develop short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to the ongoing collapse of water infrastructure.

The resolution also compels CoGTA to report back to the Legislature within 30 days with a clear plan of action.

Buffalo City’s deteriorating water infrastructure has reached a crisis point. Entire communities, including Bhisho, Mdantsane, Kaysers Beach, Kidds Beach, and Ncerha villages, have endured persistent and prolonged water shortages, which have severely affected residents’ health, dignity, and livelihoods.

Even the Eastern Cape Legislature, the administrative heart of the province and a designated National Key Point, has been affected. Operations have been disrupted, and staff have been forced to work from home due to a lack of water.

This is a crisis rooted in institutional failure. The Amatola Water Board has repeatedly failed to deliver adequate bulk water supply, owing to a combination of labour disputes, poor infrastructure maintenance, and a lack of forward planning. BCM’s own failure to invest in critical upgrades has further exacerbated the situation.

The DA has long warned of the impending collapse of Buffalo City’s water services and consistently called for accountability and a comprehensive infrastructure recovery plan.

While we welcome this motion as a necessary first step, words alone will not restore water to our communities. We call on CoGTA to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and to ensure complete transparency in the rollout of any proposed interventions.

As always, the DA will continue to support the people of Buffalo City in their fight for basic service delivery and the restoration of dignity to every resident.

The DA remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring every resident of Buffalo City Metro has access to clean, reliable, and sufficient water.

Regards

Leander Kruger MPL
Buffalo City Constituency Leader

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