By Lungile Ntimba
DA Frontier Constituency leader Jane Cowley has urged the Eastern Cape provincial government to intensify efforts to address Makhanda Local Municipality’s escalating water crisis, warning of a looming severe shortage.
“Residents of Makhanda are grappling with a devastating water crisis, compounded by an already unreliable supply, with parts of the town experiencing disruptions for over two months,” Cowley said in a statement.
She highlighted the impact on businesses along Bathurst Street, homes near Chapel and Campbell Streets, and the Queen Street taxi rank, calling the situation “untenable.”
Many areas, she added, rely entirely on inconsistent water truck deliveries, leaving residents without fresh water for days at a time.
Cowley said the DA would escalate the matter with the shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Williams.
While Williams pledged technical support during a September meeting, Cowley said that the crisis persists unabated.
She attributed the ongoing challenges to Makhanda’s aging water infrastructure and alleged financial mismanagement by the Makana Local Municipality.
“With a revenue collection rate of only 52%, the municipality’s fiscal irresponsibility is evident, particularly when functional municipalities typically maintain collection rates of at least 95%,” Cowley said.
“Compounding this financial crisis is an environment of violent factionalism, which continues to destabilise efforts to repair and recover the water system.”
“We are deeply frustrated by the lack of accountability from the municipality. The residents of Makhanda have endured far too much in the form of unreliable water services, paying for services they do not receive, and living under the constant threat of corruption and political instability.”
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