PHUTI MOSOMANE
DEPUTY President Paul Mashatile will visit Jagersfontein, Kopanong Municipality in the Xhariep District of the Free State Province to conduct a service delivery oversight visit.
The purpose of the visit is to update the community on the progress made in resolving service delivery challenges in the municipality.
The focus will be on the equitable supply of water and resettlement of community members affected by the dam wall burst on September 11th, 2022, as part of the Jagersfontein Development Project.
During his oral reply to questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Mashatile promised to visit Jagersfontein as part of a series of outreach visits aimed at improving service delivery and addressing challenges faced by some municipalities.
The visit will allow him to assess the progress made by the government and other stakeholders, such as Bloem Water, in restoring water and wastewater infrastructure in the area.
The Deputy President’s programme will include an engagement with investors in the Xhariep District Municipality, particularly with community members who were displaced by the dam collapse.
He will also visit the Jagersfontein Water Treatment Works and land parcels identified for resettlement, including show houses built through the Jagersfontein Development Project. Free State Premier Mxolisi Dukwana, ministers, MECs, and mayors will accompany him.
Residents have complained of poor or non-existent basic services in the community, with unreliable access to water for several years.
The local government has attempted to provide temporary relief by placing water tanks in various parts of the town.
“In this regard, the visit will provide a platform for the Deputy President to assess progress made by the government working together with all relevant stakeholders such as Bloem Water and others in restoring water and wastewater infrastructure in the area,” according to spokesperson Vukani Mde.
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