ANC-Fetakgomo Tubatse fails Ga-Selepe community amid water crisis

by Mathipa Phishego

African National Congress (ANC) in Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality Ward 33, has failed the community of Ga Selepe at Mataung section due to water crisis. The community has more than three weeks getting water from a river no one knows its stream source.

Ga Selepe community has suffered lack of service delivery since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Besides not having water, the community is having no access road despite it being a primary need.

The suffering community under the administration of ANC has repeatedly supported the political party. Although it exempted them to no service delivery, not even a water tanker has been sent during this water crisis.

Apparently, the section have made donations to bore their own water for the section, seeing the need to help the government. Now their water pumping machine has broken, they do not have money to fix it.

A concerned community member has told InsideOutNews that they tried to reach to the ward Councilor Moffat Mathipa, stressing the need to intervene. “Unfortunately, Mathipa told me that he has nothing to do with Mataung community as they bored water themselves,” said Jomo Makgopa one of the concerned nearby resident under Ward 33.

The community was relying on the late Mabatane “Talex” Mosamedi. It is said that he was the person who had influence and could make the community make collections to ensure they have access to water.

“Mataung borehole wasn’t handed over to municipality. We only fix our infrastructure for obvious reasons, however we are engaging the mine (Bokoni Platinum Mine) to assist. Yesterday they told me that the water was pumped to the reservoir,” said Cllr Moffat Mathipa in response to this issue.

He further highlighted that he knew water being pumped to the section reservoir as in yesterday. However, he never arranged for water tankers as a temporary solution. “I will arrange, probably tomorrow they must come,” replied Mathipa when asked about tankers as a temporary solution.

As it stands the community of Mataung is without water. One source under anonymity has told the publication that the community had contributed once again to fix this machine.

“There was no Bokoni or Councillor intervention, as far as I know,” said one of the residents from the affected section.