MATJHBENG – Residents and businesses in Matjhabeng continue to face persistent service delivery challenges, including water leaks, poor water pressure, overflowing sewers, broken streetlights and unreliable electricity infrastructure.

The problems are affecting daily life across communities, while concerns about municipal response times, infrastructure maintenance and billing irregularities add to residents’ frustrations.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will write to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s Municipal Manager to request urgent intervention and action on the recurring service delivery failures.

The party says residents regularly report water leaks and sewer blockages, but repairs are often delayed. Poor water pressure and unreliable supply also make it difficult for households and businesses to access sufficient water for their daily needs.

Water and sanitation remain key concerns

Water losses caused by leaking pipes raise concerns about the maintenance of municipal infrastructure, particularly in communities where residents already experience interruptions to their water supply.

Sewage spills and sewer backflows present further challenges, with raw sewage reportedly flowing into streets and public spaces. These conditions create potential health and environmental risks, particularly for children, older people and residents living near affected areas.

The impact extends beyond households. Businesses that depend on reliable water and sanitation services may face disruptions, while sewage pollution threatens the surrounding environment and water resources.

The DA says residents are also struggling to get responses from municipal officials when reporting problems, with calls and messages allegedly going unanswered.

Improved communication, quicker responses to complaints and consistent maintenance are needed to ensure that service failures are addressed before they become prolonged problems.

Broken streetlights and electricity infrastructure

Non-functional streetlights remain another concern, particularly where poor lighting affects visibility and residents’ sense of safety after dark.

Cable theft and vandalism have also been identified as factors contributing to damage to electricity infrastructure. Addressing these challenges requires preventative maintenance, timely repairs and measures to protect municipal infrastructure.

The DA has called for urgent attention to these problems, arguing that residents should not have to repeatedly report the same faults without receiving lasting solutions.

Billing concerns add to residents’ frustrations

Residents are also raising concerns about high municipal tariffs, disputed accounts and billing irregularities.

These issues become particularly frustrating when households are expected to pay for services that they say are unreliable or inadequate.

For businesses, interruptions to water and electricity supplies can affect daily operations and increase operating costs. Prolonged infrastructure failures can also undermine local economic activity and discourage investment.

Accurate billing, transparent account management and clear communication with consumers are therefore important parts of restoring confidence in municipal services.

Calls for accountability and lasting solutions

The DA has also questioned the frequent use of acting appointments in key municipal positions, including the Municipal Manager, Chief Financial Officer, and Infrastructure and Community Services portfolios.

Stable leadership and clear accountability are important to ensuring that maintenance programmes are implemented, budgets are managed responsibly and service delivery problems receive sustained attention.

As local government elections approach, the focus remains on the municipality’s ability to provide reliable basic services and maintain the infrastructure on which communities depend.

Residents need dependable water supplies, functioning sanitation systems, reliable electricity, working streetlights and municipal accounts that accurately reflect their charges.

Addressing these concerns will require consistent maintenance, effective management, timely responses to complaints and accountability for the delivery of essential services.

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