The rapidly declining infrastructure in Matjhabeng, daily water shedding and uncontrolled water cut-offs for days on end, lack of streetlights, potholes, and many other service delivery issues were highlighted during a high-powered visit to Welkom this week.
Matjhabeng’s infrastructure is on the verge of collapse, which is detrimental to economic growth in the city of Welkom. John Steenhuisen, minister of agriculture, visited Welkom on 18 August and spoke to three business leaders concerning the worsening situation. Big business in Welkom is adversely affected by the situation and have to fork out millions of rands to stay afloat.
Steenhuisen met with business leaders at three major employers in Welkom (Alma Nursery, Fresh Bake, and Sparta Beef) to highlight how urgent reform can turn failing towns into growth engines once again.
“Poor infrastructure in Matjhabeng is a result of several interconnected factors, including insufficient funding, poor maintenance, corruption, and inadequate planning and management”
Coreen Malherbe, DA leader of the Matjhabeng caucus.
Alma Nursery has faced illegal land invasions, crippling power cuts, and ten consecutive days without water.
Fresh Bake supplies national retailers, but is hobbled by water shedding, billing disputes, excessive rates, and absent refuse and sewage services.
Sparta Beef processes 130 tonnes of beef per shift yet has had to spend tens of millions of rands on solar energy, generators, and water storage to stay afloat, while farmers avoid local roads due to their state of decay.
Steenhuisen was accompanied by the DA Matjhabeng constituency to address service delivery and poor infrastructure that are directly affecting them.
“Poor infrastructure in Matjhabeng is a result of several interconnected factors, including insufficient funding, poor maintenance, corruption, and inadequate planning and management,” says Coreen Malherbe, DA leader of the Matjhabeng caucus.
Another reason mentioned was the Matjhabeng Municipality’s political priorities and focus on new infrastructure projects that overshadow the need for maintenance and upgrades of existing infrastructure.
A big issue that was discussed is that the municipality cannot provide sustainable water and electricity, without which no company can function.
The consequences of the municipality’s ineffectiveness to provide basic services like water and electricity is far reaching and affects all businesses in the production chain, from supplier to consumer.
The Matjhabeng situation will be addressed with urgency at provincial level.
John Steenhuisen, minister of agriculture
Steenhuisen said the Matjhabeng situation would be addressed with urgency at provincial level.
He said the overall opinion was unequivocal about the fact that the Matjhabeng economy will not recover if the current government remains in power.
During his visit he championed the DA’s six-point plan to turbocharge the economy – a blueprint for lowering the cost of living, fixing failing municipalities, securing reliable energy and water, repairing infrastructure, creating jobs, and attracting investment.
His visit came as businesses in the Matjhabeng Municipality battle collapse under ANC mismanagement. From water shedding and power cuts to chaotic billing, broken roads, and sewage crises, local employers are forced to divert millions into survival measures.
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