Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Paseka Mokoena and Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Eleanor Quinta. See attached pictures here, here, and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will take urgent action to hold the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality accountable for the continued delays in the Thaba Bosiu 16 km water project, which began in January 2024 and was meant to be completed within 18 months.
Nearly two years later, the project remains unfinished, leaving the community without consistent access to clean and reliable water, a failure that directly undermines public health, livelihoods, and community dignity.
At the October 2025 council sitting, the project was once again extended, with an additional allocation of R25,327,896.95. This brings the total cost from the initial R77,079,385.05 to a staggering R102,407,282.00, yet there is still no clarity on when the project will be completed.
The DA is alarmed that the ward councillor for the affected area, who also serves as the MMC for Infrastructure, has failed to ensure that the infrastructure portfolio committee sits to monitor progress.
Instead of prioritising oversight of this critical project, the councillor has been accompanying the mayor in launching new projects across Maluti-a-Phofung. At the same time, residents of Thaba Bosiu remain dependent on JoJo tanks for water.
This lack of accountability is unacceptable. The DA will be raising further questions in council and will engage the MEC responsible for local government to demand answers on:
- Why has this vital project not been completed within its original timeframe?
- When can the community expect the project to be finalised?
- How are the ballooning costs being justified while residents continue to suffer?
The people of Thaba Bosiu deserve more than empty promises. Access to clean water is a basic right, and the DA will continue to fight for transparency, accountability, and the urgent completion of this project.