Yesterday the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maruleng Local Municipality met with the bereaved family to express our condolences following the tragic death of a five-year-old girl, Bontle Ramapuputla, who fell into an incomplete pit toilet and lost her life on 30 March 2026.
This heartbreaking incident occurred after the Mopani District Municipality (MDM) appointed a contractor to construct pit toilets in Hlohlokwe Village during the 2024/2025 financial year.
The contractor abandoned the project before completion, leaving behind building materials at the bereaved family’s home and exposing residents to dangerous, unfinished structures. (See photos here, here and here)
The recent loss of life is yet another grim confirmation that the ANC government simply do not care; the tragedy is a direct result of the criminal negligence of the MDM and the contractor.
This preventable loss of a young life is indicative of poor project management, appointment of incompetent contractors and lack of care for human life by MDM.
This is not an isolated incident in the MDM; in 2018 a toddler fell into an unutilised borehole in Joppe and in 2019 a six-year-old boy drowned in a trench at the abandoned Giyani bulk water project.
We will write to the MEC for COGHSTA, Basikopo Makamu, to urgently investigate the incident and to hold responsible officials criminally responsible as well as to ensure that all trenches, pits and unused manholes excavated during the project are closed immediately to safeguard the lives of our children.
Justice for this horrific and preventable incident is not negotiable; if MEC Makamu does not take immediate action, the DA will.