/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

With Hanover residents having been left without water for the better part of the past couple of months already, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is calling on COGHSTA MEC, Bentley Vass, to urgently intervene to prevent a full-blown water crisis in the area in the not too distant future.

The lack of water is having a detrimental effect on the local economy, with the guesthouse industry especially experiencing massive losses, as bookings are regularly cancelled. Other sectors of the economy are also affected. This is an additional blow to the local businesses, on top of the losses already incurred during higher lockdown levels, severely threatening people’s livelihoods.

The wellbeing of the community is also affected, as water flow is so weak that washing machines are not able to operate. Geysers also cannot operate due to the low water pressure, making hot water taps useless and leaving residents with no option but to boil pots of water. This all affects hygiene measures, which remain critical as we continue to find ourselves in the midst of the global Coronavirus pandemic.

The municipality claims that the pumps are too weak and that the water tables in Hanover have dropped. However, they cannot provide any proof to substantiate their claim. In the meantime, all they are doing to manage the so-called water shortage, is to call on residents to use water sparingly, with zero other efforts implemented to mitigate the lack of water provision to residents. In this regard, they have not even availed tanks to assist struggling residents.

At the same time, however, the Emthanjeni local municipality considers it in order to water the newly planted grass sports fields, that have been planted in Kwezi, all day long.

The DA, meanwhile, has found that significant amounts of clean water are being wasted through water leaks, with a lot of clean water also getting mixed up in the sewerage system, literally causing water to go down the drain.

At the same time, it has been found that the entire municipal water infrastructure in Hanover, is completely neglected. It is also left unsecured, with pumps and pipes lying around at certain points, without any form of supervision and without gates even being locked. Exposed electrical wires at water sites, also show a dire lack of maintenance.

At the same time, two unused boreholes, with visibly high-water tables, are not being utilised, raising questions about the so-called water shortage, which seems to be more a case of water mismanagement by the municipality

The DA will not accept a situation whereby government continues to turn a blind eye to the ongoing water problem in Hanover.

We are therefore calling on MEC Vass to immediately intervene in the matter by sending a qualified water engineer to assess the situation and to provide assistance, as it is clear that the Hanover challenges are related to a lack of maintenance and poor management of the pumps and boreholes. This is due to unskilled officials currently heading up the water unit.

At the same time, the MEC must ensure that assistance, in the form of provision of water tanks, is provided to the community and that residents are kept well informed on the state of the water situation.

The people of Hanover have a right to access to water and they deserve to be able to earn a living by receiving a sustainable and uninterrupted supply of water.

Issued by The DA