Water Oversight in Alfred Nzo Reveals Humanitarian Crisis

Dear Editor

A DA oversight inspection of water infrastructure in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality (ANDM) has revealed an ongoing humanitarian water crisis, which must be urgently addressed.

Yesterday, we completed a two-day water infrastructure tour in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality area of the ANDM. The DA oversight tour was led by myself, and joined by Sello Seitlholo, who as a DA Member of Parliament serves as the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation.

After the shocking humanitarian crisis we saw, Deputy Minister Seitlholo has agreed to take this matter up with the Department. We are grateful to the Deputy Minister for this action.

During our oversight inspections and meetings with residents, we were shocked by the lack of access to adequate water and sanitation services.

In many villages, residents are forced to rely on contaminated wells and rivers, sharing these water sources with animals. Although some areas have had water infrastructure installed, taps often run dry. The ANDM is responsible for providing water and sanitation services to local municipalities, but it has catastrophically failed to fulfil this mandate.

We discovered a dysfunctional borehole in Voveni Village, sunk by the ANDM, which has never delivered any water. This borehole was intended to supply water to four villages.

Furthermore, we visited the abandoned Ntibane Water Treatment Plant, completed almost two decades ago in Dododo Village, which wasted millions of taxpayers’ money.

Deputy Minister Seitlholo has committed to seeking a comprehensive report from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) office in the Eastern Cape, outlining the issues we identified. Following the report, a meeting will be arranged between the DWS, ANDM, and Eastern Cape provincial government to address and resolve these concerns.

We also handed over two donated water tanks to the people of Colana Village and Mpoza Village, identifying them as communities most in need.

The DA will continue to fight for the basic human rights of our people to sufficient water and sanitation, holding those responsible for denying our communities these rights accountable.

Regards

Baxolile Nodada MP
Alfred Nzo Constituency Leader