Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Billy van Rooyen and Sesotho soundbite by David Masoeu MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Phumelela will continue to monitor the water crisis affecting Memel and Zamani and hold Phumelela Local Municipality accountable for ensuring a sustainable water supply.
While Eskom has reportedly restored electricity to the local water pumping facility after recent disconnections, the water and service delivery crisis facing these communities is far from over. This temporary reconnection does not erase the municipality’s longstanding pattern of administrative neglect, unreliability, and structural failure.
Since Friday, 9 October 2026, residents have faced severe water shortages after Eskom cut power to the local pump station. Without swift municipal intervention or transparent communication, residents were left in the dark. In an inspiring demonstration of community spirit, residents stepped in to repair an unused, unmaintained municipal diesel generator, donating their own fuel and funds to pump water for just six hours a day to provide basic relief.
Although municipal officials later asked a resident to issue a Certificate of Compliance for Eskom and pledged to reimburse diesel costs, major questions remain unanswered: why the electricity was disconnected in the first place, and why municipal infrastructure relies on private citizens to function.
Access to clean, reliable water and basic electricity are fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution, and the residents of Memel and Zamani cannot continue living at the mercy of municipal inefficiency and piecemeal fixes.
Furthermore, the municipality must implement a sustainable maintenance plan to overhaul water and electricity infrastructure and prevent recurring failures. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the Free State Provincial Government must urgently audit and restore Phumelela’s operational capacity.
Reconnecting a switch is merely a band-aid on a gaping wound, and the DA will continue to monitor the situation closely while fighting to ensure the permanent restoration of constitutional rights and dignity for the residents of Memel and Zamani.
It is time to stop the chaos and start the delivery by ensuring that municipal infrastructure works, public funds are spent responsibly, and residents receive the reliable basic services they deserve.