Tensions are mounting between the ANC-led coalition government and the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Tshwane, with water tankering tenders emerging as the latest point of dispute. The opposition party has accused the administration of normalising the use of water tankers.
The two parties addressed the media in Pretoria on the sidelines of Thursday’s Council meeting, where they exchanged accusations.
DA Caucus Leader Celliers Brink highlighted the rising costs of water tankers under the ANC-led coalition and expressed concern that some communities receiving tanker water already have access to running water.
“The DA’s main concern is not water tankers serving informal settlements, as these communities must have access to water. The concern is the R777 million spent on water tankers in formal areas where taps already exist but are not functioning,” Brink said.
He further alleged irregularities in payments for some invoices. “There are allegations that invoices were paid without proper purchase requisitions, and that service providers were paid without proof that the service had been delivered,” he said.
Responding, ANC Tshwane Regional Spokesperson Joel Masilela Ka Mahlangu placed the responsibility for Tshwane’s water challenges on the DA.
“The very concept of water tankering was introduced by the DA during its eight-year tenure in the city along with its coalition partners. We are now providing water to, among others, the more than 500 informal settlements created during the DA’s administration,” Masilela Ka Mahlangu said.
He added that the DA had neglected the city’s infrastructure, leading to significant water losses, and had failed to pay service providers, which contributed to rising costs in servicing outstanding debts.c