During the live broadcast on October 31, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse said the rest of the rightful executive committee is back where they belong and they are hitting the ground running.
On October 25 she chaired an urgent virtual meeting of the Mayoral Committee to get the City of Johannesburg and its executive back to work.
“My fellow residents, not only have you had to contend with the worst year of load-shedding since the first scheduled blackouts in 2007 but you have also been forced to live with an unstable supply of water. This is not the Johannesburg we want our children to grow up in. The DA will not allow it.
“Last week’s court judgment that confirmed the ANC illegally removed me as the mayor was indeed a win for democracy. The DA never gave up the fight, a fight on behalf of the residents of Johannesburg.
“Now we get back to work. Before the coup by the ANC, the multiparty government made significant progress in undoing decades of neglect of our water system.
“We made this clear when we debated on this urgent matter in council on October 21, when the false ANC leadership said the solution would be Jojo tanks and boreholes.
“It can only be the corrupt ANC that suggests a plaster to heal a severe wound. Joburg Water has proposed medium and long-term interventions and projects to ensure the sustainability of water supply to our municipality. Plans for a new connection from Rand Water to supplement supply to critical bulk water supply areas in Joburg are underway.
”Sadly, with all these continuous interventions, the problem of ANC maladministration remains with our bulk water supplier – Rand Water. This entity has failed dismally in the maintenance of the electric infrastructure which now impacts its ability to pump water.
“As MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Michael Sun, said during the urgent council debate that as long as Rand Water does not upgrade and proactively maintain its pumps and infrastructure and as long as Eskom cannot guarantee supply, the system will continuously fail and Joburg residents’ taps will continue to run dry.
“But today I stand before you, to commit to using concrete solutions to real problems. The multiparty government will start the major task of fixing Johannesburg. Truly fixing, not merely sticking on a plaster. The good news is that the work has already started.
“We have invested R930m in water supply and sewer infrastructure. We have already started the project of replacing asbestos pipes in the greater Fourways area and started the upgrade of the Brixton and Crosby reservoirs. Joburg Water replaced 100.8km of water pipes and 69.5km of sewer pipes from April to June.
“Over the coming days we will work to ensure that urgent matters, like the water and power crises, and that the safety and security of residents are attended to.
“I believe most residents of this city know there is still a long way to go to turn around Johannesburg and it will take many years to fix. But if there is one thing I know to be true, it’s that the DA can get it done,” said Phalatse.
