Central SA
Some Mangaung residents urged to prepare for a 36-hour water outage─── ZENANDE MPAME 10:02 Thu, 08 Jan 2026
Mangaung residents are advised to prepare for a 36-hour water supply interruption on Thursday (8/1) and Friday.
The metro will undertake a planned maintenance programme at the Maselspoort water treatment plant. During the maintenance period, residents in Noordhoek, Hilton, and Raymond Mhlaba Street may experience low water pressure or intermittent water interruptions.
The municipality said the scheduled cleaning, inspection, and maintenance of bulk water infrastructure will focus on the interlinked clear water tank 3, a critical component of the water distribution system.
The metro urged affected households and businesses to store sufficient water and to use water sparingly to minimise inconvenience, said acting metro spokesperson Nicolette Maysiels. “The municipality apologises for any inconvenience caused.”
Meanwhile, the DA has raised alarm over irregular water meter readings in the meto. It’s received numerous complaints from residents disputing their water bills, alleging that “the billed amounts do not correspond to the actual meter readings”, said Cllr Dirk Kotze.
Video footage and multiple complaints from residents showed water meters across the metro may not be read accurately, raising serious concerns about incorrect billing and the integrity of the metro’s water revenue system.
The metro awarded Mchiliteni Fofota Investments (Pty) Ltd a contract in December 2023 for water meter reading services, a three-year contract valued at over R4.2 million, which is set to expire in June.
Questions were submitted to city manager Sello More on how the accuracy of readings was verified, how contract performance was monitored, whether payments were linked to measurable outcomes, and whether the auditor-general risk findings were addressed in the contract.
“The AG has repeatedly raised serious concerns about Mangaung’s unreliable water billing, including estimated readings, weak contract management, revenue losses, and poor oversight in previous financial years,” said Kotze.
“Despite these warnings, residents continue to receive shock accounts, estimated bills, and incorrect charges, many of which remain unresolved.”
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