The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the Rand West City Local Municipality’s continued failure to provide residents with a reliable water supply.
The municipality recently issued a notice warning residents of further water disruptions due to maintenance work. However, many residents had already been without water for several days before the notice was issued.
The notice is therefore of little practical use. Residents cannot prepare for additional disruptions or store water when there is already no water available.
This latest disruption forms part of a persistent pattern of water outages that residents have been forced to endure. It is unacceptable for communities to go for days without access to this essential service.
The ongoing water crisis is linked to widespread municipal debt, poor water management and financial instability, which have reportedly contributed to budget restrictions by National Treasury.
In addition, a large-scale phase-two maintenance project is causing low water pressure and intermittent supply across the region. Despite the disruption caused by this project, residents have yet to see meaningful improvements in the reliability of the water supply.
We will conduct an oversight inspection of the maintenance work and water infrastructure to assess the progress of the project and hold the municipality accountable.
The municipality has also deployed roaming water tankers and stationary water tanks to areas experiencing complete outages. Although this may provide temporary relief, it does not address the underlying causes of the crisis. It is a short-term response to a systemic failure.
Residents of Rand West City deserve a municipality that delivers reliable services and ensures access to clean water.
Register to vote on 4 November for a DA government that will fight to ensure accessible and reliable water for every community in Rand West City.