Former Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink has asserted that Hammanskraal needs a debt write-off to start on a clean slate on water bills.
Brink, who is the Democratic Alliance caucus leader, is insisting that the debt write-off for the water portion of residents’ bills is essential to getting consumers to pay for the water they will receive through the Magalies Water Treatment project.
Magalies Water is building a modular treatment plant on the cleaner Pienaars River. This plant will supply drinking water to areas that currently rely on water tankers.
“Once the package plant is in operation, the city will have to pay Magalies Water for the bulk supply of water, which means that Hammanskraal consumers will have to pay the city beyond the basket of free basic services offered to indigent consumers,” said Brink.
He said it was understandable that people do not want to pay for non-potable water, and so it should be made easier for them to pay if the project is to be sustainable.
Lack of leadership
The former mayor said the new coalition in Tshwane was failing to take leadership on the Hammanskraal water project and keeping communities informed of the development details.
“Prior to my removal from office, I issued a detailed memorandum to the city manager Johann Mettler and the then deputy mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya on how various risks to the Hammanskraal water project are to be managed.
“If the Magalies Water package plant is completed, the city will save about R60 million in water tanker fees currently deployed to Hammanskraal.
“There are significant business interests who would not want this to happen,” said Brink.
However, ActionSA blames the DA for an eight-year failure to deliver water to the taps of Hammanskraal.
Tshepiso Modiba, ActionSA Tshwane caucus spokeswoman, said ActionSA has long called for the debt writeoff under Brink’s administration, but the DA was against the move.
He emphasised that Brink was deceiving communities by claiming that the discovery of rock formations on the project’s site was what caused the delay.
He promised that the project will be completed by November 15 and explained that the Magalies water treatment plant expansion is designed to provide 12.5 megalitres of water upon completion of the first module of the project.
Concern about delays
“Unsurprisingly, in keeping with their general practice, it is the same DA that has been quick to falsely claim that it single-handedly solicited the bid for the expansion of the Klipdrift water treatment plant.
“For weeks, desperate to cling to power, Cilliers Brink and Themba Fosi boasted about the project’s advancement.
“Yet, this week Brink and Fosi suddenly appeared unaware of the several delays experienced by Magalies Water, the commissioner of the project,” said Modiba.
He asserts that the delays were not on the part of the City of Tshwane but Magalies Water, adding that the party was concerned about the delays, which he said are now being manipulated and abused for political expendiency.
“ActionSA has for years campaigned, including through litigation, for the provision of clean water to Hammanskraal. We will never fail residents in delivering on this commitment,” said Modiba.
Some of the sections to benefit upon completion of the first module include Mandela Village, Marokolong, Ramotse, Kekana Gardens (Steve Bikoville), Kudube Unit 9, Babelegi Industrial, and Bridgeview Wards 49, 73, 74, and 75.
