POLOKWANE – The Olifantspoort plant is currently not supplying water to Polokwane due to a shutdown by the community
In a statement released, municipal spokesperson, Thipa Selala says the municipality is aware of the shutdown from Olifantspoort plant and that the information they received from Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) indicates the shutdown is due to a community protest.
The shutdown comes just days after an announcement by LNW that there will be five hour water supply interruptions everyday for two to three weeks to areas of supply within Polokwane Municipality so dredging can be done in Ebenezer Dam.
Read more: Polokwane to have five hour water supply interruptions daily for the next two to three weeks
“Residents from Tswaing village, who stormed into the water scheme on Thursday night, 25 April, demanded that the facility be closed. It is reported that they locked the facility and left with the key,” the statement read.
Lepelle Northern Water says they have opened a case with police and the plant is currently running at 0% flow, meaning there is no water supply to areas within the Polokwane Municipality.
When asked how is was possible that the protestors were able to just walk away with the key and whether there was no security, Selala told Review it is not the municipality’s facility, but Lepelle Northern Water’s and that the protestors used force.
All areas of supply including the city and Seshego are affected and the municipality says they will provide regular updates regarding the situation at the plant.
