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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is waging war on Sol Plaatje for its ongoing failure to address longstanding water leaks in an around Kimberley, some stretching back more than a decade.

The DA has submitted a detailed complaint to the Office of the Public Protector (see complaint here) outlining the excessive loss of potable water. This includes an extensive report of almost 50 water leaks that have, in effect, been left unattended. This is despite numerous complaints having been reported to the municipality via multiple channels, such as the municipal call centre, the municipal cellphone line, and directly to municipal officials.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather a starting point to illustrate the severity of the problem.

The Auditor-General report for the 2019/20 financial year indicates that 62.3% of Sol Plaatje’s total water, which translates into a whopping 23,300,281 cubic meters of water, was unaccounted for. This means that a “material water losses of R66.6 million was incurred”.

The money lost was enough to build more than 500 houses for indigent families or to procure 12 new fire trucks to prevent the devastation of runaway veld fires.

It is unacceptable that Sol Plaatje is willfully allowing this significant loss of water and loss of opportunity to continue through inadequate maintenance, insufficient repairs, and overall neglect of the bulk infrastructure. At the same time, Sol Plaatje is failing to deliver water to residents in a sustainable manner and to promote a safe and healthy environment. The water leaks are further contributing to the erosion of municipal roads, leaving the municipality at risk of claims for damages from motorists.

Excessive losses of potable water at Sol Plaatje speak to maladministration, undue delays, acts of negligence and/or omissions by municipal officials that create significant difficulties for residents. I hope the PP’s Office will waste no time in undertaking an investigation into the matter, in the hope that they will come with enforceable recommendations that can help us to hold Sol Plaatje accountable for this water scandal.

Issued by Sol Plaatje Municipality, Chris Whittaker, Cllr