By Dr Igor Scheurkogel | DA Constituency Head: Metsimaholo
Note to Editors: Please find English and Afrikaans soundbites by Dr Igor Scheurkogel MP and Sesotho soundbite by David Masoeu MPL with video here and link to motion here
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking urgent action to address the escalating crises in Oranjeville under the governance of Metsimaholo Local Municipality.
Years of mismanagement and poor service delivery have pushed Oranjeville, once a thriving tourist destination, to the brink of collapse. As a result, residents now face deteriorating living conditions and an increasingly bleak future.
On 19 November 2024, Dr. Igor Scheurkogel, DA Constituency Head for Metsimaholo, tabled a motion in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) calling for immediate intervention to make the water treatment plant and reservoirs operational by December 2024.
This motion is crucial to ensuring that the constitutional right to water is upheld for Oranjeville residents and that the local economy is safeguarded from the severe effects of water shortages. To date, no meaningful action has been taken to resolve this urgent issue.
In addition to the water crisis, the town is grappling with a growing sewage disaster. The lack of underground sewage infrastructure has forced households to rely on sewage suction trucks to dispose of waste at the Oranjeville Sewer Plant. The closure of the plant has left residents unable to empty their septic tanks, creating a serious health hazard and further exacerbating the community’s dire situation.
In response, the DA is taking decisive action. We will write to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the Minister of Tourism, demanding urgent intervention to address the water and sewage crises.
Oranjeville plays a vital role in the local economy, and the continued closure of the sewer plant poses a serious risk to the Vaal Dam, a key water source for surrounding municipalities. If left unaddressed, the contamination of the Vaal Dam could not only degrade water quality but also threaten recreational and tourism activities, leading to disastrous economic and environmental consequences.
Furthermore, we will engage with the National Department of Water and Sanitation to demand urgent restoration of both the sewer plant and the water treatment plant. The current dysfunctionality of these critical facilities poses a direct threat not only to Oranjeville but also to neighbouring communities that rely on the Vaal Dam.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that the residents of Oranjeville receive the essential services they deserve, and we will continue to hold Metsimaholo Municipality accountable for its failure to deliver on its responsibilities.