The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Magareng’s municipal management to launch a formal investigation into the collapse of its fleet management and the deterioration of the municipal workshop.
This follows a recent oversight inspection that revealed that the workshop has turned into a scrapyard, with most service vehicles, including refuse and sewerage trucks, standing broken.
In a written motion submitted to the Council, the DA is calling for the following urgent interventions:
• An urgent investigation into the municipal fleet and workshop breakdown, with a report to be submitted within 21 days;
• Emergency repairs or the leasing of refuse, sewerage, and fire vehicles;
• Cleaning request for the EPWP assistance to clean and secure the workshop and its surrounding area;
• The installation of at least one mobile toilet facility at the Warrenton Traffic Learner Testing Centre;
• Suspension or reimbursement of service billing in affected areas until service delivery resumes, to account for the months of neglect.
Only one sewerage truck remains in partial operation, causing an extensive backlog and consistent drain overflows in Ikhutseng, Warrenton station, Warrenvale, and the broader town. The refuse collection fleet is out of service and has been in the workshop for weeks. Magareng streets are filling with uncollected waste, while residents continue receiving bills for services that are not being delivered.
Of even greater concern is that an outdated and broken fire truck for water is parked in the yard, while the municipality has not had an operational fire response vehicle for years. This leaves the community dangerously exposed in the event of a fire or emergency.
The premises are unhygienic and unsafe, with no functioning restroom and a file room that serves as restroom. Sadly, the municipality’s historic funeral wagon also lies discarded in the overgrown yard.
This is not merely a mechanical issue — it is a systemic failure in service delivery, and the people of Magareng deserve better. Restoring the municipal fleet and workshop is critical to turning around this worsening crisis.