Dihlabeng water sabotage suspected as pump breakdowns leave residents in crisis

Issued by Willie Theunissen – DA Councillor Dihlabeng Municipality
12 Nov 2024 in Press Statements

By Willie Theunissen – DA Councillor Dihlabeng Municipality

Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Willie Theunissen and Sesotho by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Dihlabeng Local Municipality will open cases of sabotage with the SAPS, after three water infrastructure failures show signs of coordinated sabotage.

The DA will push for criminal investigations, into the suspected sabotage of water infrastructure in Bethlehem, Fouriesburg, and Clarens, where recent pump breakdowns have severely disrupted water supply.

These incidents, which occurred within days of each other, have raised concerns about possible coordinated attacks intended to destabilise essential services.

The silence from the Executive Mayor, despite the clear impact on residents, only deepens these concerns.

This is not the first time that water infrastructure has failed across multiple towns at suspiciously similar times, in Dihlabeng, and in the past has DA opened similar cases for criminal investigation. Now is the time for the Police to act.

The DA encourages residents to remain alert and report any unusual or suspicious behaviour around municipal water facilities to the SAPS. Also, Municipal Workers with knowledge of potential sabotage are urged to come forward as whistleblowers, too.

The DA is very firm on this: we will continue to work towards restoring stable water access and holding accountable those responsible for any damaging actions.

The DA calls on the South African Police to do a thorough investigation and ensure that any person responsible for affecting this critical infrastructure is brought to justice.