The municipality’s mayor, Jeff Zwane, said this figure includes transformers that were stolen and tampered with. He said it has been almost a month that the Metsimaholo Municipality has been working towards resolving the water crisis in Refengkgotso. Zwane said the municipality is racing against time to provide the residents with clean consumable water and that both reservoirs in the area have been cleaned and the sludge has been removed.

OFM News previously reported that pictures and videos, of what appears to be contaminated water coming from the taps of residents in Deneysville in the Metsimaholo Local Municipality, recently did rounds on social media platforms. These widely shared pictures and videos depicted what seemed to be brownish sludge coming out of the taps of residents. It’s not yet clear how long the residents have faced water issues in that area.

ALSO READ: Videos, pictures of contaminated water in FS Municipality surface

Later on, the municipality responded to this and said it is working tirelessly to ensure the water quality is restored and ready for consumption by the residents in the affected areas. It said the reservoir has accumulated sludge on the floor which affected the water.

ALSO READ: Municipality responds to sludge and water videos, photos

Now the Metsimaholo says its technical department has provided the area affected by water shortages constantly with water tankers.

The municipality is refurbishing old electrical and mechanical components. This process will improve the supply and flow of the water. Currently, it is the Mbeki area that is without water. Cable theft has impacted the full restoration of the water supply. A water tanker is in the area to supply water. In no time the entire area of Refengkgotso will have water. Plans are in place to curb future water disruptions. The municipality has looked at various interventions that will avoid water disruptions and end the crisis,” said Zwane.

Zwane has again appealed to all the residents of Metsimaholo to assist the municipality and fight against destroying the infrastructure.

“The extended water crisis period could have been avoided if the cables had not been stolen. The infrastructure theft sets back the municipality over hundreds of thousands of rands whenever these occurrences take place, and these funds could have been utilised in bringing better services to the people of Metsimaholo,” said Zwane.

OFM News