He is expected to give a report back on his previous visit to the town with infrastructure worth millions destroyed by the sludge after a mine dam's wall collapsed. It remains to be seen if Tau will announce the much-anticipated government decision to take over the administration of the municipality.

The extent of the flooded area is visible on the satellite image.

The municipality has been failing to pay its workers, third-party contributions, and service providers. The municipality owes a third party over R25 million and Bloem Water close to R600 million for services rendered.

The heavily indebted municipality is struggling with its financial flow and revenue collection. It has a bill of R12.2 million when it can only collect a mere R2.5 million from revenue.

Earlier, deputy president Paul Mashatile visited the area and announced there were discussions with the water board to have the restrictions lifted. The municipality would be put under Section 139 administration but a category is yet to be announced.  

Many soil tests were done to determine the impact of the mine sludge on agricultural land. Photo: UFS

The municipality has had difficulty paying its workers in the past, citing cash flow issues. In 2021, the DA reported and laid a complaint against the municipality with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). A year later SAHRC spokesperson Thabang Kheswa told OFM News the probe into the alleged water crisis was continuing.

OFM News