The so-called Green Drop Award that the national Department of Water and Sanitation has bestowed on the Msukaligwa Local Municipality is misleading and an insult to residents who endure the consequences of poor water management on a daily basis.
Ironically, the same Department that is now honouring the Municipality successfully brought it before the High Court in September 2023 for contravening the National Water Act.
Receiving this Award essentially means that Msukaligwa is being rewarded for complying with a court order and not for its own merits or good governance.
The legal action was necessitated by the fact that the Municipality had failed to act for years, despite the Department issuing repeated warnings, notices and directives concerning water pollution and dilapidated infrastructure since 2016.
What makes the Green Drop status even more problematic is that it is determined by the Department itself, which also conducts the assessment without any independent audit or genuine public transparency. This casts serious suspicion on the credibility of the entire process.
Meanwhile, the reality on grass-roots level paints a very different picture. According to the Auditor-General (AG), Msukaligwa recorded water losses of 72% in the 2024/25 financial year – a shocking indication of maladministration. In addition, only 47% of potable water samples comply with microbiological standards, posing a serious health risk to residents.
There are ongoing problems with sewerage systems, while Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) has repeatedly brought the elevated levels of manganese and sulphate in the water – probably linked to mining activities – to the attention of the Municipality, which is yet to take any decisive action.
Towns such as Breyten and Chrissiesmeer still experience regular water shortages, despite claims that projects have been completed. The Freedom Front Plus’s written correspondence regarding these issues, dating from 2022, has mostly been ignored.
The only reason for the slight improvement is that the Municipality was compelled to act by a court order.
Clearly, the Award is not a reflection of actual performance, but rather an attempt to portray an ANC-controlled Municipality in a favourable light.
Residents’ experience is not a success story, but the harsh reality of taps running dry, poor water quality and crumbling infrastructure. This Award is not an achievement – it is a farce.
The Freedom Front Plus is committed to ensuring fact-based accountability and will keep pressuring Msukaligwa to comply with the conditions of the High Court order.
Residents deserve better than what the ANC has to offer. The Freedom Front Plus offers leadership characterised by common sense, accountability and proper service delivery, which the community needs and deserves.
Freedom Front Plus Political Accountability: The party calls for accountability from elected officials.
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