Dear Editor
Thousands of residents in Cradock in the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality (IYM) have been suffering without running water since the taps ran dry a week ago.
The residents of Bergsig and Hillside have endured seven consecutive days of being deprived of their basic human right to access water. The central business district and industrial area in Cradock have also been receiving no water, or experiencing a weak flow of water.
The local animal shelter that provides care for more than 200 animals is also still without water and is dependent on water provision from good Samaritans.
Water and sanitation provision to the IYM is the competency of the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM). Since 2014 the CHDM has dismally failed in delivering this mandate. Residents of Cradock and Middelburg in the IYM have become used to extended water outages and raw sewage flowing into streets and rivers.
Yesterday, 21 November 2022, I wrote to the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Williams, requesting him to provide a decisive plan to ensure that this water outage is addressed urgently. This follows the letter I sent to the MEC last week regarding the same issue.
The MEC’s reply to my most recent letter highlights the district municipality’s inability to provide a consistent flow of running water to residents.
According to the MEC the pump that provides water to high-lying areas such as Bergsig and Hillside, has been non-operational for an extended period of time due to mechanical issues and a shortage of diesel.
Inxuba Yethemba faces the very real threat of watershedding if the CHDM does not act decisively to find solutions to the late payment of service providers, poor budgeting, and the inability to upgrade and maintain ageing water infrastructure.
If the MEC does not intervene we will take the matter up with the Minister of Water and Sanitation.
The DA will not stand idly by while our people are being deprived of their basic human right to water. The Water and Sanitation Competency must be removed from Chris Hani District Municipality
Regards
Kobus Botha, MPL
EC Midlands Constituency Leader