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The DA has written to the Mopani District Municipality Municipal Manager, Tshepo Mogano, to urgently provide a turnaround plan following the ANC-led municipality’s poor performance in the green drop status report received by the municipality.

The report that was tabled during the July 31 council sitting depicts a low score of 32% for the year 2022. The required minimum percentage for the Green Drop Certification for wastewater works is 90%.

The report speaks to the poor management of the wastewater treatment works and the failure to carry out infrastructure maintenance and oversight to ensure adequate service delivery. Another factor that contributes to the district’s poor performance is the failure to recruit and place Process Controllers and Supervisor staff at the wastewater treatment works.

On a recent oversight visit by DA Councillor Mahlatswa Lebbeus Ramalepe to the 8 wastewater treatment works in the district it was found that there is a great shortage of purification chemicals and broken and blocked screens which make reticulation near impossible. 

An internal audit committee report was also tabled regarding the district’s wastewater works and the following concerns were noted:

• The lack of development of a wastewater risk abatement plan;
• Water quality laboratory not accredited;
• Insufficient compliance monitoring performed;
• Non-publication of green drop results;
• Lack of calibration methods performed;
• Back-up power at water works not adequately maintained; and
• The Municipality’s failure to achieve the green drop requirement;

The ANC-led municipality’s failure to maintain wastewater works not only stifles efforts to encourage economic development that may create much-needed jobs but also infringes on the rights of the residents of Mopani district to a clean and healthy environment.

The DA is committed to hold the municipality accountable and ensure that adequate sanitation services are delivered to the residents of Mopani District Municipality.

Issued by Cllr Mahlatswa Lebbeus Ramalepe - DA Councillor in Mopani District Municipality