Infrastructure tampering the reason for Polokwane’s dry taps -Muni
The Polokwane Municipality says the Dap Naude line was subject to intentional interference as well as the inlet from the Seshego Dam, resulting in less supply.
POLOKWANE – The Polokwane Municipality says substantial progress is being made towards restoring normal water supply to affected areas following a thorough investigation launched by the municipality on its supply lines.
Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said deliberate acts of infrastructure tampering contributed to the disruption of water supply in various parts of the city and Seshego.
“An investigation revealed that the Dap Naude line, which feeds the Dalmada Water Treatment Plant, was subject to intentional interference as the valves were found to have been deliberately closed by unknown individuals. This resulted in the plant supplying less water than it usually does. The plant is now supplying at full capacity and the situation is expected to improve soon,” his statement read.
In addition, Selala said the inlet from the Seshego Dam, which supplies the Seshego Water Treatment Plant, was found to be blocked with rocks, bricks, and other debris at various points.
“These blockages prevented the expected flow of water to the plant, considerably reducing water supply to the affected areas. These malicious actions of tempering with the water infrastructure has caused unnecessary hardship to residents and negatively impacted businesses that rely on a consistent water supply. While some areas experience complete outages, others face low water pressure due to the reduced flow,” he said.
Residents in the city have been without water for weeks, some months, with little to no answers from those in power.
Outrage from the community at large prompted the investigation by the municipality.
Read more: Polokwane Municipality to investigate water shortages
On Tuesday, the municipality said they were aware of the growing number of complaints regarding water disruptions.
The DA has also set up an online petition that demands the municipality fulfills its duty to provide reliable water access for all residents.
Selala said law enforcement agencies have been alerted to the issue and that the municipality strongly condemns acts of sabotage as it works on restoring full water supply as soon as possible.
“These actions are completely unacceptable, as they place the well-being of our communities at risk. We will not tolerate any attempt to disrupt essential services that our residents depend on for daily survival and business depend on to keep the economy of the city alive,” said the acting executive mayor and MMC for Water and Sanitation, Alfred Moakamedi.
“Any disruption negatively impacts on services like hospitals and schools that rely on this important commodity. We urge all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities on the infrastructure to ensure that such incidents do not happen again,” he urged.
Any suspicious activities should be reported immediately to the police at 08600 1011 or directly to the municipality at 015 290 2458.
