Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Erica Moir and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Tim Mpakathe. See attached pictures here, here, and here, and the video here.
– Raw sewerage floods Ladybrand streets.
– DA demands an urgent intervention plan.
– Residents pay rates but face worsening health and infrastructure crisis.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the Mantsopa Local Municipality to request an urgent intervention plan, clear repair timeframes, and a full report on the status of the municipal vehicle fleet to address the ongoing sewerage crisis in Ladybrand.
The ongoing sewerage crisis in Ladybrand has reached unacceptable levels. Residents are forced to live with raw sewerage flowing through streets, residential areas and public spaces for extended periods while little to no action is taken to resolve these problems.
Raw sewerage is not merely an inconvenience. It is a serious health hazard that places the well-being of our residents at risk and creates an environmental disaster that continues to worsen.
One of the most concerning aspects is the repeated claim that no municipal vehicles are available to address service delivery complaints. Despite this being raised on numerous occasions, residents have received no meaningful feedback regarding the maintenance, repair or replacement of the municipal vehicle fleet. Communities are entitled to know why essential service delivery vehicles are unavailable and what steps are being taken to rectify the situation.
Residents and businesses continue to pay rates and taxes every month. In return, they expect basic municipal services, including functioning sewerage infrastructure, clean water, refuse removal and maintained roads. Instead, many residents are experiencing deteriorating service delivery while receiving little communication or accountability from the municipality.
The people of Ladybrand deserve answers. They deserve a clear action plan, timeframes for repairs and regular feedback on progress. Most importantly, they deserve a municipality that treats service delivery as a priority and not an afterthought.
The current situation cannot be allowed to continue.