Faction fighting in the ruling party in Matjhabeng has resulted in the total and utter collapse of service delivery.
Piet Botha, Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, says during a council meeting held on 27 July, the division between the ANC factions was abundantly clear. The meeting was convened to discuss the disruption of services by contractors due to non-payment.
“The ANC called for a caucus which lasted 30 minutes. Two ANC councillors who serve on the mayoral committee, Rubben Tlake and Mojalefi Buti, called the executive mayor, Thanduxolo Khalipha, to order and demanded to be heard. The speaker, Bekhi Stofile, had his hands full to try and keep the decorum of the meeting,” says Botha.
He says Tlake and Buti were not happy that certain contractors had not been paid for their services.
“Even after the mayor explained that large-scale fraud was committed, they insisted on payment. Khalipha said several questionable contracts were signed on 26 December 2021, a public holiday. The only person who can sign contracts is the municipal manager,” Botha says.
Since the council was inaugurated eight months ago, service delivery has collapsed. Raw sewage flows into houses in Sandania, Doorn, Dagbreek, Harmony, St Helena, Lakeview, Rheederpark, Riebeeckstad, Hennenman, Allanridge, Odendaalsrus and the adjoining townships and squatter camps. Some residential roads are inaccessible.
On Monday (15/08), a 65-year-old Thabong woman, Dineo Mayisela, fell down an open sewage manhole near Lehakwe Primary School in Thabong. Her body was dragged some 200 m underground and was only found on Tuesday afternoon.
There are more than nine uncapped manholes in Thabong.
“When councillors enquire about the leaks and burst pipes, the lack of refuse removal, and the sewage spills, they are told that problems will be addressed, but nothing ever happens,” says Botha.
The 18 sewage pumps that were situated in various roads in Matjhabeng to maintain a modicum of a sewerage system were removed weeks ago by the contractor because of non-payment to him.
The water treatment plants in Matjhabeng are inoperable, and raw sewage flows into rivers and ultimately into dams like the Bloemhof Dam.
Khojane Matutle, Matjhabeng manager of communications, says funding from national government to restore the sewage plants has been paid to the implementing agent (Bloem Water).
“In the meanwhile, the municipality has procured six pumps to manage and alleviate the spillages. The restoration work will be done fast and effectively so that they can be restored to full operations, and so doing put the sewage crisis in Matjhabeng to bed.
“It is also important to note that vandalism and theft are among the contributing factors in the sewage challenge, and communities must help by ensuring that vandals and thieves are brought to book,” says Matutle.
