The DA in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) calls on the municipality to crack down on water theft and address urgent infrastructure repairs.
As matters stand, compliant consumers are not receiving a reliable and equitable water supply, because of the municipality failing to exercise its responsibilities in the face of unchecked leaks, widespread water theft, and little, if any, maintenance.
Residents face daily water-shedding, with some areas like Lushof receiving water for only two hours a day. Manorvlei Primary School had no water for three weeks. Learners had to carry buckets just to flush toilets, while GTM offered no solution other than vague excuses about low reservoir levels.
Concerningly, illegal water tankers siphon off as much as 25% of reservoir water daily, operating in full view of municipal officials who take no action despite repeated calls for intervention. These tankers resell the stolen water at R6 per litre, exploiting the poorest residents.
The Georges Valley water plant, built to handle 120 litres per second (l/s), now receives as little as 82 l/s due to suspected theft from the main line, again reported, but ignored. If the plant received a consistent 110 l/s, water-shedding in Tzaneen would no longer be necessary.
GTM allocates only 5.42% of its budget to maintenance, despite the financial loss from water theft and leaks, water the municipality still pays for.
By contrast, in the small town of Letsitele, decisive action by a DA councillor stopped water theft entirely: hydrants were locked, tankers impounded, and criminal charges laid. Eighteen tankers had been draining the small village dry, but theft was halted through political will and enforcement.
The same can and must be done in Tzaneen.
The DA, alongside a plumber, engineer, and a community volunteer, will inspect the 18 km Georges Valley main line over the next 10 days, with a view to identifying leaks and areas prone to theft, thereby reducing wastage and working towards ending the ongoing water-shedding.
It is unacceptable that paid GTM officials continue to turn a blind eye and refuse to fulfil their responsibilities while compliant residents suffer.