With just four days left in office, Matjhabeng mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha told the media at a press conference held at the municipal headquarters in Welkom that his administration had confronted corruption and maladministration but faced resistance from individuals who allegedly benefited under previous administrations.

His claims come as residents continue to grapple with a deteriorating sewerage system, non-operational water treatment plants, persistent water shedding, power outages, and damaged roads.

Matjhabeng mayor, Thanduxolo Khalipha, held a media briefing at the municipal headquarters in Welkom. Photo: Screenshot

Opposition parties and community members have repeatedly called for urgent intervention and accountability, raising concerns about the municipality’s billing system and its ability to provide basic services.

Khalipha, however, maintained that his administration’s efforts to address the municipality’s problems had been met with resistance from those opposed to the ANC’s renewal agenda.

“We knew from the day we stopped all the shenanigans that were happening in this municipality that there was going to be a fightback against the renewal of the ANC. I did not appoint myself here; I am an ANC deployee, and there were decisions by the ANC that the party must be renewed,” said Khalipha.

He drew parallels between the ANC’s renewal agenda and national efforts to address alleged corruption, citing the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture and the Madlanga Commission.

“The state must be renewed. That is why President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the Zondo Commission, and today there is the Madlanga Commission. So, today, as we have four days left in office, more than 24 pump stations are now fixed.”

He presented this as one of the achievements under his administration. However, the extent to which these repairs have improved sewage services for affected communities remains a key issue amid continued concerns about the municipality’s infrastructure.

He also pointed to a multi-billion-rand intervention aimed at addressing the municipality’s water infrastructure challenges.

“There is an intervention worth more than R4.4bn that will run until 2028, with R2.4bn allocated to pipelines, as the municipality has been losing more than 49% of its water through leaks,” said Khalipha.

This highlights the scale of the infrastructure problems facing the local authority. The planned investment is expected to support pipeline improvements and other interventions aimed at addressing water losses.

Khalipha said Matjhabeng had made progress in attracting investment, including developing a business plan linked to more than R50bn in energy investment. A process to have the municipality declared a special economic zone was also under way, with provincial and national government involvement.

He added more than R400m had been saved from individuals who allegedly intended to loot municipal resources. Despite the mayor’s claims of progress, Matjhabeng continues to face questions over its ability to restore reliable water and sanitation services and address years of infrastructure neglect.

Members of the portfolio committee on water and sanitation have also raised serious concerns about the commitment of both the municipality’s political and administrative leadership to honour payment arrangements with the Vaal Central Water Board.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cvs

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