MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - “It seems as if the Makhado Municipality disregards the provisions in the constitution, as they fail to provide basic services to the community,” reads a media statement of the TAU – SA Northern Region.

A strongly worded statement was released on May 30, in the midst of a breakdown in the town’s water supply. The Chairperson of Transvaal Agricultural Union–SA Northern Region, Mr Dries Joubert, expressed his deep concern about the water shortage in Louis Trichardt.

“Are basic services no longer a Constitutional obligation?” Mr Joubert asked. He said that TAU–SA Northern Region will ask for an investigation and the necessary disciplinary action against those who failed the community with sloppy service.

Concerns stated by the TAU in the statement include those of a lack of maintenance and incompetence.

In reply to the statement concerning failure to provide basic services, Mr Masindi Mapholi, the Makhado Municipality’s Director of Technical Services, said that the municipality tried to respond as quickly as possible during the recent water problems.

“Extension 9, for example, had eight water tankers,” Mapholi said.

The water shortage, which lasted for five days and at times affected the whole town, started on May 27.

Concerning the issue of incompetence, Council’s Director Corporate Services, Mr Peter Magwala, did not agree that it could be called incompetence. He referred to the fact that the town engineer, Mr Gideon van Zyl, had resigned and that the position had been advertised. He said that there was not much of a vacuum left, because Mr Louw Pretorius has been working for many years in that department. Mr Magwala said that the Superintendent of Water Services responsible for the water purification at Albasini, Mr Mulaudzi, was not a new appointment.

Mr Mapholi said that staff members were competent, but that there was a major shortage of plumbers in his department.

“We have four plumbers and they do have the capacity but are too few in number for all the duties like water connection, sewer system maintenance and operation. We are requesting the Vhembe District Municipality for more plumbers,” Mr Mapholi said.

In the statement, Mr Joubert called upon the municipality to stop racebased affirmative action policies and appoint people on merit, regardless of their skin colour, family relations or political affiliations. In response to this, Mr Mapholi gave the assurance that he does not employ in terms of race.

“I put forward expertise. I check on experience and knowledge, not race or gender,” said Mapholi. He added that he has not received suitable applications for Mr Van Zyl’s vacant position and that the post will be re-advertised.