MAKANA'S WATER CRISIS WORSENS

The Democratic Alliance is outraged at the continued failure of Makana Municipality to meet the basic water needs of the citizens of Grahamstown.

The most recent crisis in Makana Municipality has resulted in residents being without water for the past 13 days, after the electrical power line to the Howison's Poort pumping station and the pumps themselves were damaged during a recent storm. This aging 16km power line, which runs across rugged terrain, frequently fails due to its length and inaccessibility.

The DA has over the last 2 years been calling for a much shorter 1km line directly linked to Eskom to be installed through the nearby Thomas Baines Nature Reserve, but to date this has yet to be realised.

Water is now being rationed as follows for both systems:

Daily: Closing from 09H00 - 16H30 and running from 18H30 - 21H00. At night: Closing from 21H00 - 03H00 and running from 05H00 - 09H00.

This will be reportedly be in place every day until the situation is resolved. Water trucks are running but are not coping with the demand.

Despite high-level investigations and the appointment of Amathole Water, at a cost of R1.2million per month, to facilitate upgrades to the water supply and reticulation system, it is clear that Grahamstown is still suffering from a failure by the ANC-led administration to properly maintain its infrastructure, and plan for the continued growth of the town.

The problem is exacerbated by a willful blindness to the causes, nature and extent of the problem by the divided municipal leadership.

The water crisis in Makana Municipality is spiraling out of control and the DA will continue to push for provincial intervention in the municipality.

I will be writing to MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane to demand a detailed plan of action to address this issue in the short term.

Statement issued by Kevin Mileham MP, DA Constituency Leader - Makana Municipality, November 27 2013

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