Provincial Head, Tseliso Ntili, says the political factions in addition to issues of theft, ageing infrastructure, the ongoing drought and operational issues are compounding the lack of service delivery in the area. He cautions that this does not mean, that nothing is being done by government to work on the ongoing water shortage affecting the area.

He says “certain decisions have to be taken” regarding the political instability at the municipality, because “that is the third sphere of government”. The Provincial Head cautions that they can’t simply wait “for that process to be completed” in order to deal with the water shortage in Qwaqwa. He says the department will continue to engage with the Administrator and the acting Municipal Manager, to determine what technical support is needed and how else to deliver water to residents.

In February 2018, the municipality was placed under administration, following unrest over service delivery, which had come to a halt. This was amidst allegations of rampant corruption under the watch of the former Executive Mayor, Vusi Tshabalala. 

In May of 2018, the then Free State Provincial Task Team (PTT) recalled Tshabalala along with the Council Speaker and the Chief Whip. Following this, 16 ANC Councillors in Maluti – including Gilbert Mokotso - rebelled against the Free State ANC’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and voted with the opposition to elect Mokotso as Mayor of the municipality. The party suspended and subsequently expelled the 16 Councillors from the party. The disgruntled members challenged their expulsion in the Free State High Court in 2019 and lost their bid on Thursday, February 14. The current Assistant Administrator at MalutI-A-Phofung, Solly Motingoe, told OFM News on the day the case was dismissed that the “judgment is helpful in that it is no longer a barrier for both the municipality as well as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to proceed with processes”. It was made clear that the municipality will now be able to find some kind of direction.

Media reports indicate that the Qwaqwa community has gone without water for four months and counting. The community is at present being assisted with the use of Jojo tanks and usage of wells in the area. The Maluti-A-Phofung municipality is yet to comment on the water crisis.

OFM News