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The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Northern Cape is demanding answers from the Sol Plaatje Municipality on the continuous water shutdowns that have over time put communities in danger and crippled the economy of the city of Kimberley.

The residents are from time to time left for more than three (3) days without the provision of water despite over 10 years of promises that the municipality will resolve the dilemma once and for all.

There have been several interventions from the National Government in terms of financial support, but the municipality is just not getting things right.

What even raises qualms is the fact that, in 2019, the municipality was presented with solutions to this crisis by a private company which intended to comprehensively deal with water infrastructure and economic development concurrently. After feasibility studies were conducted, the Council took a resolution in 2021 to support the implementation of the project which was going to create twenty-two thousand (22 000) jobs, provide much improved water infrastructure and housing for just below 13 000 people. However, the project remains obstructed by individuals in the municipality.

The Federation therefore calls on the municipality to account to all these failures and explain to the residents of Kimberley why they are hindering development.

Issued by COSATU Northern Cape