According to the DA in the province, the Municipal Manager Bruce Kannemeyer and his Technical Service Director must account for the plight faced by residents. This, as residents in Parys and Vredefort have for weeks been battling to access water. 

The party’s Mariëtte Pittaway, who is also a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL), says it is appalling how this municipality and many others are continuously failing to prioritise the needs of communities. Her statements comes as the new Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, is on Tuesday expected to engage a number of Free State municipalities, including the infamous Matjhabeng and Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipalities. 

Mchunu’s two-day oversight visit to the province kicks off in Welkom where he is expected to address heads of the municipalities, Bloem Water and Sedibeng Water Boards, as well as the Premier of the Free State, Sisi Ntombela, on water issues.

OFM News has previously reported on how the Ngwathe Local Municipality is also amongst municipalities battling with a large number of buckets toilets.

According to the Non-Financial Census of Municipalities, the Free State - together with the Northern Cape, North West and the Eastern Cape - has recorded an increase of pit latrine users with Nala, Nketoana, Ngwathe and Metsimaholo Municipalities ranked among the top ten municipalities countrywide with inadequate sanitation.

Mchunu’s visit to the province is expected to shed some light on how sanitation and water issues experienced in many Free State towns will be addressed.

OFM News