AfriForum helps to restore Tswaing’s water supply

Electricity supply to water pumps in the towns of the Tswaing Local Municipality – i.e. Delareyville, Ottosdal and Sannieshof – was cut off last Friday without any prior notice because of defaults of payment by the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. Only Sannieshof, who has a few diesel pumps, could pump water and the other towns were therefore left without access to water.

The AfriForum branch in Delareyville became aware of the situation on Friday, 23 November 2018, after which AfriForum’s regional head, Corné Cronjé, immediately contacted AfriForum’s legal representatives to obtain an urgent court order. The situation had been assessed by Saturday, while the fact the pumps had already been switched off on Wednesday emphasised the seriousness of the situation. The legal team sent a letter to Eskom on Monday, 26 November 2018, in which Eskom was warned to reconnect the electricity within a day to prevent the matter from going to court. The electricity supply was restored during Monday afternoon, but until now there is still no water available in Delareyville. AfriForum is investigating the cause and will take the necessary legal steps to rectify the situation.

According to Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Stellaland, it is unacceptable and moreover illegal (in terms of the Water Act, 36 of 1998) to leave residents without water, and AfriForum therefore intervened.

“AfriForum took hands with the DA and the success boils down to teamwork. It is heart-warming to see residents and institutions like the school and churches with boreholes providing water to people. This underlines the fact once again that communities have to stand together to the benefit of everyone,” says Pretorius.