Matjhabeng is experiencing sudden, extreme water outages, yet Council, as the executive and legislative authority of the municipality, is not being properly informed of reservoir levels, supply constraints, or the causes of declining water availability.
If Vaal Central Water (VCW) is providing updates, these are clearly not reaching Council. We must be informed forthwith, consistently, directly, and in a format that allows oversight and public communication.
Elected representatives cut off
Cllr. René Steyn (DA Councillor Matjhabeng Local Municipality) says the situation is worsened by the fact that councillors were summarily removed from the WhatsApp group where reservoir levels were previously shared.
“Cutting elected public representatives off from critical operational information is irresponsible. It undermines oversight, fuels misinformation, and damages credibility at precisely the moment residents need clarity. A credibility crisis is now unfolding. When no one is willing to publicly and clearly state what is happening with our water supply, a serious breakdown in credibility follows,” says Steyn.
Community impact severe
Residents deserve the truth, not vague reassurances, rumours, or silence. Residents had no time to prepare for the scale of these outages. The knock-on effects are severe: interrupted hygiene and healthcare routines, disrupted businesses, and escalating sewer overflows in an already strained system when water supply becomes intermittent or collapses.
There is no alternative but to engage councillors and the community at large with verified information and regular updates. We cannot manage a crisis in the dark.
The DA is calling for immediate action as follows:
- Restore and formalise communication: Council must receive regular, verified updates on reservoir levels and supply constraints from VCW and the municipality
- Reinstate councillor access: Restore access to the reservoir reporting channel and move to a transparent reporting system that does not depend on ad hoc WhatsApp messages
- Public fact-checking and disclosure: Confirm the facts, publish them, and explain what is being done
- Crisis coordination: Provide realistic public guidance during outages to limit sewer spillages and public health impacts
Infrastructure solutions proposed
Alongside urgent engagement with VCW, I have submitted a proposal to municipal leadership and the Head Accounting Officer to immediately address water leaks and limit water losses as a matter of extreme urgency. This includes ideas to strengthen the Department of Infrastructure, which currently lacks sufficient senior management and resources to respond effectively.
Matjhabeng cannot continue losing large volumes of treated water through unattended leaks whilst communities face outages. Reducing losses is one of the fastest, most practical interventions the municipality can implement whilst the bulk supply situation is clarified.”
It is time to stop managing perceptions and start managing the facts. If we want public cooperation and calm in an emergency, the starting point is simple: tell the truth, share the data, and communicate through the Council and directly with the public,” says Steyn.
On Tuesday the Matjhabeng Municipality informed residents that pump trips were experienced at the Balkfontein Raw Water Pump Station on Monday night.
The statement said that the Vaal Central Water (VCW) technical teamwas on site and actively working to stabilise and restore operations.
This incident has affected the supply of water to high-level reservoirs. As a result, some areas may experience low water pressure or temporary interruptions to water supply.
To reduce the impact on communities, water tankers will be deployed to affected areas where necessary.
The statement read that the municipality sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused and thanks residents for their patience and cooperation while repairs are underway.
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