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For the past two years, the communities of Twinsville and Hofmeyr town have had limited or no water due to the inability of the Chris Hani District Municipality to deliver on its mandate to provide potable water.

This, despite the fact that there is water. Unfortunately, the incompetent cadres that have been employed to provide water to these communities are incapable of fixing the pumps which would fill dams and reservoirs if they were working. They are depriving these residents of their constitutional right to access water.

I have written to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to request that they investigate why this water crisis has yet to be attended to and to establish what steps will be taken against the Chris Hani District Municipality for their continued failure to fulfil their mandate. We have in the past escalated this matter to the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Zolile Williams, but he has proven to be completely ineffective in dealing with the issue.

Residents and farmers in the area have offered to repair the pumps themselves at little or no cost in order to ensure the provision of water to all residents in Hofmeyr. However, the municipal officials refuse to allow them to do this. Instead, they have put the repair of the pumps out to tender so that yet another incompetent cadre can jump on the gravy train.

Holes have been dug around pipes and have been left open for more than two weeks. Who will take responsibility if a child falls into these holes and is injured, or worse, drowns?

It is unconscionable that people can be deprived of their constitutional right to access water for two years while a collapsed municipality cannot even fix a pump.

The residents of Hofmeyr deserve better. They deserve access to water whenever they open their taps, not only when incompetent officials decide to allow them a few drops. On 29 May this year, we will vote the incompetent and corrupt ANC out of government to Rescue South Africa and rebuild our towns and province.

Issued by Jane Cowley MPL - Enoch Mgijima Constituency Leader