POLOKWANE – Residents in Seshego, Mankweng and nearby villages are gearing up for a planned service delivery protest due to ongoing frustrations with inconsistent water supply and rising municipal tariffs.
Despite recent announcements that a state-of-the-art water plant in Seshego Zone 6 would alleviate water shortages, the situation has reportedly worsened, particularly in Seshego.
Read more: Seshego water plant is now operational but there are pipe leaks already
Community member Vincent Kunutu shared news of the planned protest on social media, saying that the crisis surrounding the lack of running water remains their primary concern.
Residents plan to stage a demonstration similar to the EFF-organised shutdown last year, aimed at halting all economic activity in Polokwane in the hope to send a strong message to local government.
According to reports, in some areas such as extension 71, water is only available on weekends, while other parts of the township receive water sporadically.
Polokwane Municipality spokesperson Thipa Selala has attributed the water disruptions to issues such as burst pipes and aging infrastructure, with bulk water supplier Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) frequently facing challenges, he said.
LNW spokesperson Joe Makhafola agreed that aging infrastructure requires urgent and frequent repairs, which had contributed to more frequent shutdown. He said the Ebenezer and Olifantspoort water plants are currently being upgraded. “The old 1970’s pipes are replaced to enhance the supply of clean water.
The upgrade will also meet the needs of a projected 1.7 million people in the area, and progress on the project is currently at 47%.”
While the municipality has a plan in the works to create its own water supplier, dubbed ‘Polokwane Water’, this solution is still in the early stages of development and may take years to implement. Residents, who have previously protested over water shortages, remain frustrated, with some demonstrations resulting in injuries from police interventions.
The community is now seeking urgent action from Mayor John Mpe to address their concerns, as water scarcity continues to disrupt daily life in the region.
