DA calls on EC provincial government to urgently resolve Makhanda Local Municipality’s water crisis

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