This as the company wants to relocate to KwaZulu-Natal over failed service delivery by the municipality.  

In a statement, the mayor, Tsholofelo Moreo, says he noted with great concern that Clover will be relocating its cheese factory from Lichtenburg to Queensburgh at Durban, with effect from 2022.

Moreo says the reasons cited by Clover for its departure are misleading and devoid of truth, to say the least. Moreo says [this is] worrisome because the municipality has been engaging with Clover about its intention to leave and has attended to all service delivery impasses, raised by the company.

On Tuesday Clover officially announced its departure from the area and blamed the municipality for its failure to maintain infrastructure, and to deal with water and power shedding over the past few years.

“The municipality, with the help of the district municipality, has made some great strides in resolving the water issues in Lichtenburg town, where the company is operating its plant. Currently, Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality is busy with the implementation of the bulk water project, which will improve the supply of water in the Lichtenburg, Boikhutso, and Blydeville areas.

However, water provision to Clover has not been an issue because there has been a specific borehole, which the municipality has designated for the provision of water supply to the Clover factory to increase the volume of water supply for their production,” he adds.

Moreo says the municipality wants to put it on record that the cheese factory has been receiving electricity directly from Eskom and not from the municipality as reported in the media. 

“As far as the terrible state of the Beyers Naude Road is concerned, the municipality has been in constant engagements with the Department of Roads and Transport Management about the refurbishment of the road as it belongs to the department. Furthermore, the municipality has been doing its utmost best to maintain the road.  

It should be noted that the municipality and provincial government are worried about the departure of this company, as it will affect the economic spin-off of Ditsobotla Local Municipality and the province,” he further adds.

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