Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Anelia Smit and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Diphapang Mofokeng
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nketoana will table an urgent motion at the upcoming Council meeting to demand the immediate installation of 24-hour monitored surveillance, armed response, and strengthened perimeter security at all critical water infrastructure sites to prevent further criminal damage and recurring water outages.
The DA notes with serious concern yet another incident of cable theft and the looting of water pump and electrical equipment at a pump station supplying Reitz/Petsana. On the morning of 3 February 2026, shortly before midday, residents and businesses were once again left without water. This ongoing vandalism has a direct and harmful impact on the community: households are unable to meet basic sanitation needs, while businesses suffer financial losses and service disruptions.
We conducted an oversight visit to the pump station shortly after 08:00. They found that an access gate was completely missing, sections of the concrete security fence had been removed, and the facility could not be locked due to the absence of a lock. Electrical distribution boxes had been stripped, cables removed, and pumps damaged. The site was further neglected, with overgrown vegetation creating cover for criminal activity. Such poor security and maintenance inevitably enable vandalism, resulting in repeated service delivery failures.
With the assistance of a local business, repairs commenced promptly and the pump was operational by approximately 13:00. However, due to low dam levels, full supply was only restored after 17:00.
The DA will continue to hold the Municipal Manager and relevant Technical Directors accountable to ensure sustainable service delivery and the protection of essential infrastructure.