Ramasphosa washing his hands unde the gushing water of the single tap. Photo: Screengrab
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been lambasted for opening a single tap during his visit to KwaZulu-Natal.
Ramaphosa cut the ribbon on a single tap in the Jozini local municipality for the official opening of the Bhekindoda Water Scheme.
In a video which has since gone viral on various platforms, Ramaphosa is seen surrounded by officials and a small group of people talking to an elderly woman who turned on the tap to a cheer.
Ramaphosa then washes his hands with the gushing water, but never drinks from the tap raising concerns about the potability of the water and whether it is safe to drink.
Ramaphosa said there were efforts in place to provide access to water from the dam to all residents of the community and not only farmers.
“Here in Jozini, and in fact in a number of areas in the province, water has been a critical issue that many of our people have raised. But we’ve also been able to demonstrate that there is a lot that we are doing to address and solve the water problem.”
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The Democratic Alliance (DA) was not impressed with the ceremony.
“Ramaphosa’s trip to KZN is one disaster after another. The KZN government has reached a new low by getting the president to cut the ribbon on a single tap. This is how they are going to develop rural areas: one tap every 30 years,” Chris Pappas, the Mayor of the uMngeni Municipality posted on X.
MP Dean Macpherson also took a swipe at Ramaphosa.
“The ANC in KZN under Cyril Ramaphosa have been reduced to celebrating the opening of a single tap 30 years after being in power!”
Social media users also shared their sentiments on this latest Ramaphosa move.
Goolam said those close to Ramaphosa made him do “crazy things”.
“People close to Ramaphosa hate him. Why they make him do such crazy stuff is beyond me.”
“Wonder if this is the start of the futuristic “smart city”, which was announced in the Sona [address] in 2019? Amazing progress for what was the most industrialised country on the continent,” posted Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University.
Thabo Tshabala posted a photo of Zuma with a snide remark.
“Cutting ribbons for taps in 2023!”
Residents of Jozini were said to be having serious potable water challenges despite the presence of the Pongolapoort Dam, also referred to as the Jozini Dam.
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