For over two years, more than 1 300 residents of Misgund in the Koukamma Municipality have endured a relentless water supply crisis. This struggle continues despite recent assurances from the Minister of Water and Sanitation that their suffering would end over two months ago.
Oversight inspections in the past unveiled the harsh reality facing Misgund’s residents, who are predominantly unemployed and reliant on SASSA grants. The failure of this ANC-governed municipality to provide adequate water services has forced these individuals to depend on daily water deliveries from Joubertina – a solution that is both unsustainable and unacceptable.
Considering this dire situation, I submitted written questions to Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, in June of this year.
In her reply, the Minister attributed the ongoing crisis to clogged water pumps and vandalism. Although she assured us that blockages were cleared in July and repairs completed by August, the residents of Misgund remain without a reliable water supply and water is still being trucked in from Joubertina.
While the Minister announced the Misgund Bulk Water Supply project, reported to be 99% complete, the slow pace of this initiative is unacceptable. The residents can no longer afford to wait for essential services that are their basic right.
I have written to Minister Majodina, demanding immediate and decisive action to resolve this crisis. We have also requested a clear timeline for the bulk water project’s completion, alongside a commitment to prioritise the needs of the Misgund community.
Access to sufficient water is a fundamental human right enshrined in the Constitution. However, in the Koukamma Municipality, the ANC has shown alarming disregard for citizens’ constitutional rights, as evidenced by widespread water shortages throughout the province.
Ironically, Misgund lies less than two hours’ drive from Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay – both water-scarce towns that are thriving in the DA-led Kouga Municipality. In Kouga, the only DA-governed municipality in the Eastern Cape, water security is prioritised through innovative thinking and strategic planning.
The DA is resolute in our commitment to fight for the residents of Misgund. This ongoing water crisis is not just an inconvenience; it is a serious and unacceptable violation of their basic human rights, and we will not rest until solutions are implemented.