The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is calling for immediate intervention from the provincial office of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the worsening water crisis in Magareng Municipality, where residents have been left without reliable access to water.
The Magareng community has been without a reliable supply of water for months due to ageing infrastructure, poor maintenance, and repeated mismanagement by the municipality.
The crisis escalated dramatically in December 2025 due to blatant dereliction of duty by municipal staff. Both water department officials designated for standby duty over the festive season, were either on leave or unavailable to respond to daily operational challenges. In an alarming lapse of responsibility, the keys to critical pump stations were left with officials who were on standby for the electrical department, who were neither mandated nor adequately equipped to manage water operations. This negligence allowed water supply failures to persist unchecked, deepening the crisis.
The situation became unbearable over the holidays, during which a heat wave was experienced and most residents had visitors over for the festive season.
The situation has persisted, leaving all areas in the greater Magareng area with an intermittent and insufficient supply of water for domestic use. Local businesses are also suffering.
The DA has little confidence in the municipality to resolve the crisis as it faces a severe cash flow shortfall and lacks replacement parts and capable technicians to effect necessary maintenance. Outstanding repairs, like the replacement of a new control box and a submersible pump, and reinstallation of the solar panels at Windsorton Road, are proof of the lack of political will and incapacity to deal with day-to-day challenges. Residents of Windsorton Station have been without water since October 2023.
The DA has appealed to the provincial office of DWS for support in implementing short and long-term solutions to address the prolonged water crisis.
We will also hold the municipality accountable, demanding that consequence management be implemented for those who abdicated their responsibilities, and that a clear recovery plan with timelines be presented to Council.
Ongoing mismanagement of water infrastructure must not be allowed to continue compromising Magareng residents’ basic human right of access to water.