Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
24 January 2019
Release: immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape will escalate our call for an urgent COGHSTA intervention into the Gamagara water crisis, to National Minister of Cooperative Governance, Zweli Mkhize.
We are calling on him to urgently see to it that water supply to the people of Gamagara is urgently restored and sustained. This comes as residents in Kathu and Olifantshoek have, since September last year, continued to experience severe water cuts, that stretch for over two weeks at a time.
The DA made similar requests to COGHSTA MEC, Bentley Vass, on three separate occasions last year. To date, however, provincial and local government continue to turn a blind eye to the issue of outstanding debt of R14 million owed to Sedibeng, and in turn the growing water crisis in Gamagara.
In effect, no one is assuming responsibility and accountability for the water crisis.
The failing ANC government is depriving the residents of their Constitutional right to water. The people of Gamagara deserve so much better.
DA councillors have tried to promote the plan to get water from a Bestwood borehole but the ANC provincial administration at the Department of Water Affairs refuses to lift the water license restrictions.
The DA is now supporting residents of Gamagara, who have started gathering signatures on a petition that they plan to hand over to the Mayor of the municipality.
Unfortunately, however, given that not even last year’s volatile protests could spark the failing ANC government into action, we have little doubt that this call for help will bear much fruit either.
IN the short term, this municipality still desperately needs an independently appointment administrator to solve its dismal financial woes. The only long term solution, however, is to vote the ANC government out of power, on all sphere of government.
The reality is that service delivery under the failing ANC government is at an all time low. The ANC has been corrupted and politicians and officials are out to benefit themselves at the expense of residents. The rot has gotten so bad that it is beyond them ever being able to self-correct as a party.
Only change under a DA-led government, which has proven itself to be efficient and effective in places where it does govern, can bring back service delivery and secure a clean and sustainable water supply to all the people of the Northern Cape and the country at large.
Media Enquiries:
Andrew Louw
Northern Cape Premier Campaign
082 383 6914
Chrystal Limburgh
Researcher
079 2260 991
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