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The DA in Mantsopa laid criminal charges against the Acting Municipal Manager and has also written to the Green Scorpions, after the Municipality has failed to fix overflowing sewage manholes. The ANC-led Municipality has neglected and left multitudes of overflowing manholes unattended.

Dr Roy Jankielsohn, with residents and candidates of Ladybrand and Manyatseng, visited various sites where sewage manholes are overflowing. The sewage is flooding houses and low-lying lands.

It was distressing to see the Community Hall Sports Fields and residential areas in Beeton Street overflowing with sewage. Sadly, this represents only a fraction of the sewage problems that Mantsopa residents have been forced to endure for years.

Earlier this year, the DA revealed how Mantsopa municipality has been paying astronomical amounts to hire a company to clear out the manholes. “Bigger and better” instruments were bought on hire purchase, yet very little improvement is seen by the residents of Mantsopa. Ultimately, the sewage problem stems from a collapsed sewage treatment plant and collapse in management of the ANC governed municipality.

In 2016, Mantsopa Municipality bought a sewer jet which is supposed to be only used in cleaning blocked manholes. Recently, we discovered that this sewer jet is used in clearing out the sludge from the pipes at the water purification plant as the mechanisms on the settling pools are out of order. Letters requesting information and answers regarding that matter has been left unanswered by the Municipal Manager’s office for months.

We have been reporting the overflowing sewage manholes all over the greater Ladybrand area including Mauersnek, Platberg and Manyatseng, for years, with no resolution and in some cases no response from the Mantsopa Municipality.  Some of the cases go as far back as 2017. In Council, the DA has raised concerns including providing suggestions and workable solutions for years.

Mantsopa leadership has no intention of listening to the voice of reason and is merely leading this municipality further and further into a dark ditch filled with sewage. It is only a DA-led local government that will have the foresight to plan, budget and implement strategies to ensue sustainable service delivery to all of its residents – just like we have done where we govern.

Issued by The DA Mantsopa Councillor, Tania Halse