The DA in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality is launching a petition to demand immediate action to halt the collapse of basic municipal infrastructure in the town of Phalaborwa – and to compel its urgent rehabilitation.
This follows the municipality’s complete failure to respond to or even acknowledge receipt of a comprehensive report compiled by the DA, which detailed the extent of infrastructure failure and called for urgent remedial action.
Years of poor political decisions, bad governance, and reckless budgeting – and the resultant neglect of infrastructure maintenance – have left the town’s roads, stormwater systems, and public spaces in a dangerous and unacceptable condition:
- On Friday, 20 July 2025, Mrs. Tiffany Keyser sustained serious injuries after falling into an open stormwater drain outside Die Kantoor Restaurant in Sealene Street. She tore all the ligaments in her foot and required surgery, including the insertion of a screw in her elbow.
- In Nollie Bosman Street, Mr. Costa Chrisostomou drove into a ditch left unclosed and unmarked by municipal plumbers after repairing a water leak. No warning signs or barrier tape were placed to prevent the incident.
- Theo Erasmus, a resident of Ward 12, hit a large pothole in Sperwer Street, causing R17,768 worth of damage to his vehicle. This is not an isolated case – potholes are widespread, forcing motorists to swerve into oncoming lanes or pavements to avoid damage, creating a constant risk of accidents.
View Photo’s here.
In some areas, the tar surface has completely worn away, leaving only gravel behind – rendering roads nearly impassable without a 4×4 vehicle. The total collapse of maintenance has turned residential streets into obstacle courses.
To make matters worse, streetlights are not functioning, plunging entire neighborhoods into darkness at night. Pedestrians, already navigating broken pavements riddled with potholes, open manholes, and debris, must now do so in the dark – significantly increasing the risk of falls, injury, and crime.
The petition – which will run throughout July – will be officially launched on Saturday, 5 July, outside the Heqlen Mica Home Warehouse, Sealene Street, Phalaborwa.