Central SA
Kimberley residents urged to subscribe to Sol Plaatje’s new WhatsApp channel─── ZENANDE MPAME 12:51 Thu, 15 Jan 2026
Residents of Kimberley will, from now on, be kept informed through a new official WhatsApp channel of Sol Plaatje municipality.
Through this platform, the municipality shares alerts on water and electricity outages as well as planned infrastructure improvements. Residents are encouraged to use the WhatsApp channel, as notices on public safety, among other important information, will be shared there.
The municipality’s communications unit said the WhatsApp channel is part of the municipality’s strategy to embrace the information age and diversify how information is shared with the public. The new channel forms part of broader efforts to modernise communication and ensure that critical information reaches households and businesses without delay, according to the municipality.
“The municipality aims to achieve a broader reach for its messaging and content sharing through the platform,” said Sol Plaatje spokesperson Thabo Mothibi. “The initiative of establishing the channel is part of our efforts in embracing the information age.
“It is also about ensuring that we come up with different ways of extending information to the public. By subscribing, you’ll get real-time notifications straight to your phone, so you’re never caught off-guard.”
Information on electricity and water outages, office closures, road closures, traffic alerts, emergency notifications, and other public safety notices will be part of the updates shared on the channel, he said.
The channel is already active and promises regular updates. Photo: Facebook/Sol Plaatje municipality
The municipality has also urged residents to rely on official communication platforms for accurate information. Mothibi noted that while social media platforms such as Facebook are widely used, they are not always reliable.
“Sometimes those Facebook pages are not reliable. Even if you do share, people don’t share, but instead resort to maligning, he said. “The best is to look for official pages of the municipality for our information.”
Residents can join the WhatsApp channel by scanning the QR code displayed on municipal notices, clicking the WhatsApp link, or searching for “Sol Plaatje Municipality” within the WhatsApp application. The channel is already active and promises regular updates that may affect daily life in Kimberley.
• Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.
