The Democratic Alliance in Msunduzi has sent an urgent, detailed letter to the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Committee, Deputy Mayor Cllr Mxolisi Mkhize, to emphasize the urgency of addressing the electricity and water infrastructure challenges in Ward 25.
The DA demands that the municipality undertakes comprehensive upgrades to its electricity and water infrastructure which has become critical, particularly in Ward 25, where residents and business face ongoing significant disruptions. The water and electricity outages, stemming from the deteriorated, collapsed, and disastrous state of the local infrastructure, severely impede the daily activities of residents and economic operations.
The dire infrastructure situation, which escalated between December 2023 and January 2024, resulted in outages lasting up to 20 hours per day along with recurring power and water supply disruptions taking place multiple times within a single week. This crisis is partly attributed to historical issues, including a fire at the Retief power station in 2020, malfunctioning ring feeds, and the increased demand from residential and business customers.
The municipality’s water infrastructure, particularly the ageing asbestos cement water pipes also require immediate attention. The asbestos pipes have surpassed their 50-year lifespan and are prone to bursting and potentially releasing carcinogenic fibers into the drinking water, posing a severe public health risk.
The DA has stressed the immediate need for a strategic plan to replace these hazardous pipes, which would not only result in enhanced water quality and supply but also reduce maintenance costs and water losses. This action underscores the DA’s commitment to ensuring that the municipality’s infrastructure is safe, reliable, and efficient, thereby safeguarding the well-being and economic stability of its residents.