NEWS & ANALYSIS

Girl, 6, drowned trying to get water from hole – DA

There was no readily available water in the area

Girl, 6, drowned trying to get water from hole - DA

18 January 2017

Free State - A 6-year-old girl drowned in an uncovered hole which was filled with water in Cornelia on Saturday because the Mafube Municipality had not delivered basic services, the DA said on Wednesday.

Adele Mosia, DA councillor of the Mafube Municipality, said in a statement that the had girl tried to get water from the hole because there was no readily available water in the area.

According to Mosia, the water started running low on Friday, and by Saturday it had run out.

"This is the sad reality faced by our people because the ANC government fails to deliver the basic services our people need to live a life of dignity," she said.

"Instead, they are forced to rely on unsafe sources to get water."

Mafube Municipality spokesperson Sipho Radeba said it was not clear why the girl had been in the area.

He told News24 that there were many rumours going around regarding her death, and that he would wait for an official police report before commenting.

According to Radeba, the water was switched off in the area on Saturday because maintenance was taking place at the water works, and that there were interruptions affecting its supply.

"I have personally verified that this has been resolved since Tuesday," he said.

This article first appeared on News24, see here