ALLDAYS – The Democratic Alliance reacted sharply to the continued water crisis at Alldays.

In a strongly worded media release, the DA called on the National Minister of Housing to intervene as a matter of urgency to prevent a humanitarian and health disaster, due to an apparent lack of meaningful planning.

Referring to the erection of some 500 RDP houses that are already occupied, but without water, the statement reads: “It seems clear that those who planned the RDP development failed to ensure that the occupants would have access to such basic amenities as water, sanitation and proper school facilities for their children.

“It is beyond reason that the government can be so disrespectful towards its citizens that they can allow a situation to develop in which people have to move into houses without any provision for water, and expect them to use the bushes as toilet facilities.”

Residents who have been living in Alldays for the past 35 years, say the town has always been known for water shortages. The DA expressed shock at what it described as the apparent shameful neglect to plan two RDP housing developments without any visable planning for water provision. The water shortage had already reached chronic crisis proportions before the RDP housing development was planned and executed.

The entire town is without water. Residents near the reservoir are getting water only for two hours every morning. Residents further down the line are in effect totally without water.

The communications officer of the Capricorn District Municipality, Mr Ndavhi Ramakuela, confirmed upon enquiry that plans are afoot to solve the water crisis at Alldays within the next three months.

Regarding criticism about the aparent lack of efficient planning, he said that the water supply problem at Alldays is an important part of the integrated development planning for the region. The fact that the crisis has dragged on for so long does not indicate that nothing has been done.

Consultation and planning took place. The short-term measures which were planned and executed were unfortunately not sufficient, due to unforeseen circumstances. Additional boreholes, which were developed to assist in alleviating the crisis, eventually failed, as a result of severe drought conditions. The long-term sollution – which took considerably more planning time, because it entails the development of boreholes further away from the town and the construction of an additional costly pipeline - was in the meantime in the planning stage and will be operational within the next three months.

Mr Ramakuela said that, apart from Alldays, several other communities in the area must also be assisted with their water needs. The CDM has made considerable progress in its huge task to make drinking water available to all the communities in the Blouberg area. So far, more than 500 000 of the 1,5 million residents of Blouberg have been supplied with drinking water. Of this number, free basic water is supplied to 250 000 residents and access to drinking water to the rest. Several other water supply projects are simultaneously receiving constructive attention.

About the R1,5 million which was spent last year at Alldays, Mr Ramakuela said it was used on the improvement and upgrading of the reticulation system in the whole town and not only in the new RDP development. This year, R2,5million is to be spent on a sustainable solution to the problem of an insufficient bulk water supply to the town. The amount will be spent mostly on the completion of a pipeline from new boreholes on the farm Greenfield in the waterrich Taaibos Fault.