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Multiple years of neglect and incompetence by the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led government, in Tshwane, is the real reason why the Magalies Water Klipdrift Water Treatment Package Plant was unable to deliver clean water to Hammanskraal residents on time. 

However, DA political opportunism would have residents believe there was no launch and no articulated deadline for water supply. 

It appears preferable to the DA that Hammanskraal residents drink dirty and contaminated water, rather than follow proper testing processes. 

This simple fact is that at the weekend the National Department of Water and Sanitation, City of Tshwane and the Gauteng Provincial Government launched the first phase of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant package. This was the milestone step to provide clean water to Hammanskraal residents as championed by ActionSA which the DA failed to during its tenure.

This is something the erstwhile mayor should be welcoming and working with government agencies to see to fruition if indeed his intentions are to see the people of Hammanskraal have access to potable water. Instead, in what can only be described as sour grapes, chooses to use this opportunity to baselessly criticise a government that seeks to fix what he and his party have neglected for almost a decade.

The package plant, which forms part of four phases to be concluded in June 2025, will see clean water provision to all areas in Hammanskraal in phases. The first phase of the package plant is done, dusted and delivered by Magalies Water as launched on Saturday. 

It beggars the mind as to why the DA refuses to celebrate this if they are operating with the best interests of residents at heart.

While the package plant has been launched, due to years of poor water supply to Hammanskraal by the DA-led government, the process of flushing the pipes of old water in the system is taking longer than anticipated. 

Under the leadership of former Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink, his then MMC for Utility Services, Themba Fosi, no maintenance was done to prepare the Temba water system for the supply of clean water from the Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant.

Brink and Fosi now claim they had a plan. If they had a plan, the system would have been ready. 

Tshwane Executive Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, and her Executive have been hard at work ensuring that the pipe maintenance work, neglected by Fosi and Brink, is finally implemented.  

Moya, her Executive and Magalies Water have pushed to ensure that the reticulation of the system, flushing out contaminated water and testing for safety is done to ensure residents are not supplied with dirty water. 

The City of Tshwane kept residents informed when the deadlines to launch the Klipdrift Water Treatment Package Plant were shifting from October to November. 

The delays were due to Magalies on three occasions, and beyond the control of Mayor Moya. In the coming days, the residents of Hammanskraal will finally get water tested and approved by the City of Tshwane and Magalies Water. 

Issued by ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont