The water supply was restored at the Vaalharts research station in Jan Kempdorp after a payment arrangement was made with Phokwane Municipality on Tuesday.
THE WATER supply was restored at the Vaalharts research station in Jan Kempdorp after a payment arrangement was made with Phokwane Municipality on March 28.
AfriForum Karoo district co-ordinator Lize-Mari van der Linden said that the research station, as well as community members living in the area, most of whom are employed at the station, were without a water supply due to non-payment of the municipal account.
“The water supply was cut on March 13 as an amount of R9 million is believed to be outstanding.”
Van der Linden added that there was also an outstanding account with Eskom and she urged the MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform, Mase Manopole, to make immediate payment or sign a payment agreement with Eskom and the municipality so that services could be restored as soon as possible
In correspondence, Van der Linden advised Manopole on March 23 that the lack of water supply posed a huge health and safety risk.
“It is a constitutional right to have access to clean water. The minimum quantity for the basic supply of potable water is 25 litres per person per day or six kilolitres per household per month. No consumer should be without a supply for more than seven full days in any year.”
She added that due to the lack of water and electricity, the research station was unable to resume its daily duties and provide farmers with valuable agricultural information.
“People living on these grounds’ daily needs and basic human rights can’t be met. Please provide us with feedback within five working days regarding the department’s plan of action to address the problem.”
Sources indicated that the department did not have available funds to pay the outstanding accounts.
Staff members complained that the toilets could not be flushed.
Phokwane Municipality spokesperson Kgalalelo Letshabo indicated that they were not at liberty to disclose the amount owed by the Department of Agriculture.
“The municipality implemented credit control enforcement, in order to enhance revenue for the municipality, and this process was in line with our current credit control policy.”
She added that the municipality and the department met on Tuesday, where a payment agreement was entered into.
“The water was then reconnected on March 28.”
The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform did not respond to media enquiries.
It also did not respond to allegations that an official was selling unbranded cattle and lucerne from the Vaalharts research station and pocketing the funds.
