Note to editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr David Masoeu.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned that residents of Botshabelo sections D and M continue to live in appalling and unhealthy conditions swamped by sewer emanating from an incomplete sewer pipe project. The sewer pipe was half installed from Section D and was left open towards Section M resulting in sewerage spills in and around the residential area. Please see pictures here, here, here and here.
The Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) 2021/2022 target was 100 households connected with sewer. However, the actual target achieved was zero and the corrective action was to readvertise the bid to appoint a contractor.
It is worth mentioning that despite another financial year having passed, nothing materialised. The SDBIP target for 2022/2023 remained at 100 households connected to sewer and the actual achieved is still zero. The first quarter for 2023/2024 has since come and gone and there is still nothing to show for it. The SDBIP target for 2023/2024 has since increased from 100 to 200 households connected to sewer.
The dire life-threatening conditions that residents are continuously subjected to, resulted in some residents complaining of deteriorating health, especially children who must grow up with this sewer hazard flowing within the residential area. Despite the new infrastructure grant being available the municipality has yet to spend it.
The DA will escalate the crisis to the Provincial Legislature and file questions regarding the failure of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to complete the sewer pipe project despite funds being available. Additionally, we will ask follow-up questions in the council regarding why progress has still not been made since the beginning of the 2023/2024 financial year.