The Democratic Alliance in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality calls for urgent assistance and intervention from government and the town’s mining complex in coming to the rescue of our town, our community, and our economy in the face of a growing calamity following the recent weather disaster.
This follows the severe weather and flooding that struck north-eastern Limpopo, particularly the Mopani and Vhembe Districts.
But what turned this weather disaster into a catastrophic calamity was not rain alone – it was decades of bad and irresponsible governance at both local and district level under the ANC.
Despite repeated pleas from the community and the Democratic Alliance for the proper maintenance and refurbishment of the town’s infrastructure, the ANC presided over its steady collapse and degradation.
Unmaintained stormwater systems and watercourses meant that roads became riverbeds. Overgrown, jungle-like electricity servitudes first had to be cleared simply to reach broken electrical infrastructure. Power failures then worsen the water and sewage crisis, as electricity is essential to operate these services.
Years of reckless governance have incapacitated both the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality and Mopani District Municipality. They simply do not have the capacity, skills, plant, equipment or resources to respond – let alone respond adequately.
What the community, and our business, industrial, tourism and mining sectors, have endured over the past two – now almost three weeks – has been devastating:
- Parts of the town have had no electricity for 18 consecutive days and counting.
- Water supply disruptions lasting up to 11 days at a time, including ongoing interruptions.
- Repeated sewage overflows, with effluent flowing through streets, residential properties, watercourses – and ultimately into the Kruger National Park.
In Extension Five, major engineering companies cannot operate due to the power crisis and are forced to rely on expensive generator power where possible. The main access road to the extension no longer exists – it has been reduced to a deep and rutted “sloot”.
See photos here, here, here, here, and here
Our Marula factory cannot pulp Marula fruit during the current harvesting season. Elderly women from traditional communities, working in informal cooperatives to collect and sell Marula fruit to sustain their families, now face a bleak and uncertain season.
Households have lost food to heat and spoilage, are incurring high generator costs, and are losing not only income – but also dignity and hope. As a community, “ons gryp na elke grashalm” – we are clinging to every possible lifeline.
See video here
Yet, amid this crisis, we recognise as the DA the extraordinary spirit of Phalaborwa.
We salute the unsung heroes – those ‘hero’s with no capes’ – community members who have:
• Assisted with search, rescue and recovery operations.
• Provided humanitarian help and run community kitchens
• Assisted with TLBs, chainsaws and plant and equipment
• Helped to clear overgrown servitudes and access broken infrastructure
• Provided gazebos and lighting so that electrical repairs could continue in difficult conditions
• Delivered food and supplies to exhausted municipal staff
When we as councillors called for help the community responded immediately.
See video here.
Once again, Phalaborwa has shown that in times of crisis, its people galvanise, stand together, and step forward. As the Democratic Alliance, we thank our community for this unity and resilience.