As De Aar once again buckles under recurring water shortages, the Democratic Alliance is calling on COGHSTA MEC Lebogang Motlhaping to provide clarity on the funding and support made available to Emthanjeni Municipality to address the town’s ongoing water crisis.
Parts of De Aar have again been without water for more than two weeks, following months of repeated interruptions, low pressure, leaking infrastructure and uncertainty over when supplies will be restored. This follows three years of worsening water problems.
Old-age homes, children’s facilities, businesses, hospitals, guesthouses and households cannot be expected to operate indefinitely under emergency conditions, relying on JoJo tanks and water tankers. No elderly resident or child should have to worry about where their next bucket of water will come from, and no facility caring for vulnerable people should have to function without a reliable water supply.
The crisis also cannot simply be dismissed as a “water shortage” while thousands of litres of water continue to be lost through leaking and damaged infrastructure. I have repeatedly reported leaks across the town, including around Visser Street, Cilliers Street, Waterdal, Van Zyl Street and Welgemoed Street. Some have remained unresolved for weeks, and in some cases months.
Over the past three years, the DA has also repeatedly raised De Aar’s water crisis through Council, oversight inspections, statements, complaints and engagements with the South African Human Rights Commission, provincial government and national departments. This has included laying criminal charges against the municipality.
Meanwhile, the municipality and other spheres of government have announced funding and infrastructure projects involving boreholes, the Northern Scheme, reservoirs and pipelines. But projects and announcements mean little to residents who turn on the tap and still get nothing.
DA Member of the Provincial Legislature Fawzia Rhoda has now submitted an urgent letter to MEC Motlhaping seeking clarity on provincial funding made available to Emthanjeni during the current 2026/27 MTEF; interventions following criminal charges laid by the National Department of Water and Sanitation; assistance with grant applications for the repair, maintenance and upgrading of bulk infrastructure; support to ensure basic services are delivered at an acceptable minimum standard; and progress in addressing constraints in the municipality’s billing systems.
De Aar residents deserve more than promises and project announcements. They deserve action, accountability and, most importantly, reliable access to water.
The DA will continue fighting for better water provision for all residents of De Aar and Emthanjeni. On 4 November, residents will have the opportunity to vote for a municipality that works.