DA calls for urgent action to confront Mangaung water failure

Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Thomas Ferreira and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the municipal manager to escalate the water crisis affecting Kolisang Khakhau School and Glen Community Hall in the Mangaung Metro Municipality by calling for urgent intervention from the municipal administration and demanding accountability for failing infrastructure maintenance and mismanagement that have left residents and learners without reliable access to water for months.

Residents and learners are struggling to prepare food and maintain basic hygiene, as water needs in the area are not being met. The community is suffering because of municipal mismanagement, as the crisis is a direct result of poor planning, inadequate contingency measures, and a failure to prioritise uninterrupted service delivery.

Residents and learners are frustrated and vulnerable, as they are continually told to be patient while taps have been dry for over 5 months. Since the water supply has been interrupted for extended periods, residents and learners are forced to rely on unsafe alternatives. The water crisis has now become a matter of dignity, health and survival as residents and learners are forced to either carry water in containers from Glen Agricultural College or draw water from the Modder River.

No completion date, no structured water supply, and no meaningful contingency plan have been communicated to the community yet.

The DA is deeply concerned. We demand swift and decisive action to resolve the water crisis in Kolisang Kakhau School and Glen Community Hall, as access to clean water is a basic human right, not a privilege.

The DA will now demand that:

1. A progress report on the full restoration time of water at proper capacity should be made available to residents.
2. Emergency plans are put in place to protect vulnerable residents and learners, as communities cannot function without structural emergency water tanker support, effective reservoir management and proper water supply updates.
3. Residents of Mangaung Metro Municipality deserve clear communication, proper contingency planning, reliable restoration time lines, reliable alternative relief measures and clear contact channels for assistance.

We will continue to hold the administration accountable and fight for the reliable services and opportunities that residents deserve.