Mayor set a bad protest precedent: DA
“The municipality currently owes Rand Water millions for water supplied. After several meetings, where the minister was also involved, officials resolved to hold Rand Water hostage, demanding that valves be opened immediately. Workers at Rand Water were trapped in the building until the municipal reservoirs filled up at about 14:00 hours. They decided to vacate the gates only once water was running out of the tap,” said Mollo, adding that this a very dangerous precedent set by the ANC management with their actions.
SEDIBENG. – The Democratic Alliance (DA) Emfuleni caucus leader, Daddy Mollo, has come out steaming following last Tuesday’s blockading of entries and exits to Rand Water’s head office.The blockade was led by Emfuleni Local Municipal (ELM) executive mayor, Jacob Khawe and the ELM leadership. Khawe together with the leadership of ELM staged a protest at Rand Water’s offices in Glenvista, Johannesburg, last Tuesday.
The protest was against the continued water reductions.Later that day an official statement by ELM said that 75% of meters had been reactivated while normal water pressure and supply with no restrictions had been restored in all areas of Emfuleni.
“The ANC has failed its people dismally. The worst part is that the very same party that has a tendency to fail to keep its word has the audacity to demand services from Rand Water without making payment of what is owed, and encourage the public to make these demands. The question is: does this now mean that the public can demand services they have not paid for?”
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster ELM mayoral spokesperson, Lebo Mofokeng, said that the action taken by the ELM leadership need not be clouded by politics.
“The move to go to Rand Water Glenvista offices on Tuesday was to highlight the plight of the people of Emfuleni.
“The Executive Mayor acknowledged the fact that the Emfuleni Local Municipality had a deficit in terms of honouring the agreement signed on 01 December 2017. This issue is historical and the Municipality is struggling to provide this basic obligation because of a number of known factors.”
