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Nearly three decades after South Africa’s first democratic elections, residents of a village in the rural Eastern Cape still have no access to water.
The Constitution states that access to sufficient water is accorded to everyone, but the people of Lugada Village in ward 17 of the Matatiele Local Municipality, have suffered without this basic human right since 1994.
On Tuesday, 16 August 2022, the DA conducted an oversight inspection at the village and found that poverty-stricken residents are buying water in the amount of R3 per 20-litre container from four privately owned boreholes in the area. Borehole water is not potable and can be a health hazard if ingested untreated.
The Alfred Nzo District Municipality is responsible for water provision to the local municipality and has already spent R200 million on water infrastructure in the area. Despite this, taps remain dry. (see picture here)
We will request the DA EC Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Vicky Knoetze, MPL, to take this matter up in the provincial legislature. Failing the government stepping in, we will escalate the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)
We also visited residents in the area who have been living in dilapidated and dangerous temporary structures since a violent storm destroyed their homes in 2009. These structures are dangerous, and even though local ANC councillors know the situation, nothing has been done to escalate the matter. (see pictures here and here)
We will request the DA EC Shadow MEC for Human Settlements, Sanele Magaqa, MPL, to write to the MEC for Human Settlements to request immediate intervention.
The DA is fighting for the residents of Matatiele and the Alfred Nzo District and will not allow the ANC to further dehumanise and endanger our people.
Issued by Cllrs Wonga Potwana and Tshepo Sheane - DA Matatiele Caucus
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