Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Irene Rügheimer and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Dihlabeng will write to the municipal manager, Mohau Ntheli, to take immediate action to complete the long-delayed upgrade of Clarens’ water purification plant and restore a stable water supply to residents. Ongoing delays have left households facing daily water shedding.
The project, intended to be completed before the scheduled shutdown, has already exceeded the 28-day timeframe given by the Municipal Manager to Council last month. Despite assurances, the plant remains incomplete.
Although two successful tests have been conducted with a generator, it is not feasible to operate the facility around the clock solely on generator power. I was further informed today that the delay now rests with Eskom, which still needs to complete the transformer connection process, which could take an additional 20 days.
The existing water purification plant has a very limited capacity, producing only one megalitre (ML) of water per day, far below the town’s daily demand. Once completed, the new facility is expected to deliver four megalitres per day, a capacity that would significantly alleviate current shortages. Until then, residents must endure continued nighttime water shutoffs from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am.
The situation is particularly dire for residents of Larola, Kanana, and Phahameng, who are subjected to even more frequent water cuts. These communities rely on the Kanana 0.5ML pump station, which cannot meet demand. Water is routinely shut off on most days, as well as from 7 pm to 5 am. The municipality has not provided any immediate plans to address this issue.
Equally troubling is the failure of the borehole project. After more than R9 million was spent, the project collapsed without contingency planning. When asked what measures had been considered for the boreholes once the tunnel reopened, the mayor conceded that no contingency plans had been made. This represents a staggering waste of funds and a failure of accountability.
Access to clean, reliable water is a basic right, and residents of Clarens deserve better than continued excuses and broken promises.