A survey by the FF Plus in the Free State showed that up to 38 towns in the province currently have no or very limited access to water.
In Bloemfontein, some of the northern parts of the city have been without water for more than two weeks because infrastructure in Maselspoort needs repairing.
The Matjhabeng Local Municipality issued a notice today that Welkom residents may not have water for up to five days as a result of unplanned repairs to the De Erf pipeline. Some parts of Welkom have been without water for months.
In Parys, the waterworks are not functioning optimally and certain residents have not had water for 40 days.
Towns such as Wepener, Ventersburg, Brandfort, Theunissen, Winburg and Edenville have had no water for more than two months.
The water shortages in the province verge on becoming a humanitarian crisis as numerous communities’ constitutional right to have access to water is violated.
Although the Free State is a water-scarce province, it is no excuse for residents not to have water flowing from their taps.
Water is available, but is mainly lost due to inadequate or a lack of infrastructure maintenance, poor planning and mismanagement.
According to the Auditor-General (AG), more than 50% of the water procured by municipalities is lost as a result of water leakages and illegal water connections.
The province cannot afford another five years under ANC rule.
The only way to solve the Free State’s water crisis and other problems is to register and vote to get rid of the ANC and replace it with a competent and accountable coalition government, with the FF Plus as a governing partner.
Together, we can repair and rebuild the Free State.