Speaking ahead of the State of the Province Address set to be delivered on Thursday, the DA’s leader, Andrew Louw, says it is appalling that residents in the province still have to do without basic necessities such as water. He says he expects nothing special from Premier, Sylvia Lucas’ speech, but empty promises of things that should have been put in place more than a decade ago. Louw told OFM News that the situation experienced in towns such as Kathu and Olifantshoek, where protests recently flared up, is an indication of the frustration felt by people on the ground. This town less than two weeks ago made headlines when its residents were up in arms over a lack of water supply resulting in roads barricaded with burning tires and a South African Breweries (SAB) truck set alight. Louw says Lucas has failed to intervene in the matter and the on-going water crisis in other parts of the province.

He says the water crisis in the province has reached a point where it disrupts schooling in Philipstown with learners and teachers having to go back home whenever they need to make use of toilets.

Municipalities in the province scramble to generate revenue. The majority of them are highly indebted to Eskom and water boards. The Gamagara Local Municipality, which includes the towns of Kathu and Olifantshoek, alone owes the Sedibeng Water Board over R14 million.

Louw says it will also be interesting to hear how Lucas plans to stabilise municipalities, as well as address questions regarding youth unemployment as this often leads to the many social ills such as drug abuse experienced by many young people in the province.

The latest Stats SA report on unemployment indicates that the Eastern Cape has recorded the highest rate of young people aged 15-24 who were not in employment, education or training, followed by the Northern Cape at 35.4 %.

OFM News