MPUMALANGA — The Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality in Mpumalanga continues to face significant service delivery concerns, particularly regarding access to reliable water, electricity, and basic infrastructure, as the region prepares for local government elections.
During the final day of special voting, a municipal official highlighted ongoing interventions to secure permanent water access for both the Dr JS Moroka and Thembisile Hani (TMIC) local municipalities. The official noted that alternative water solutions are currently being implemented to stabilize the supply. Furthermore, the Loskop Dam is scheduled to open in either December or March, a milestone expected to permanently resolve the regional water shortage.
The official also pointed to recent administrative achievements since 2021, including the operationalization and Premier Soccer League (PSL) accreditation of a stadium in KwaMhlanga. Additionally, a major collaborative water project involving the Rust de Winter area is underway to further alleviate the water crisis in Dr JS Moroka. However, the Mayor of Dr JS Moroka attributed some of the ongoing service delivery hindrances to the community, alleging that residents are actively vandalizing municipal infrastructure.
Contrasting the official narrative, a local resident expressed deep frustration over the municipality’s broken systems. The resident stated that promises regarding the Loskop Dam project have been delayed for a decade, resulting in continuous unfulfilled commitments. According to the community member, the ongoing water crisis is exacerbated by the hiring of unskilled workers to manage water delivery. The resident reported being without water for three months, rendering household sanitation facilities and toilets completely unusable.
Beyond the water crisis, the resident highlighted the severe deterioration of local roads. They alleged that the municipality sold its road graders at auction without replacing them, leaving critical infrastructure unprotected and unmaintained. In the Siyabuswa area, former factories and industrial sites have reportedly been vandalized, eliminating potential sources of local income. The resident described the local economy as collapsing due to an inability to attract investors, leading to high unemployment among the youth and women.
With the local government elections approaching, the resident called for conscious voting to enact systemic change, criticizing politicians who rely on distributing t-shirts to buy votes. The community member expressed hope in the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing its strong stance on administration and people management as a necessary shift to cut the current “dependent syndrome” and restore reliable service delivery.
Meanwhile, the electoral process has not been entirely without incident. An independent candidate was arrested after causing chaos at a voting station the previous day. Authorities are monitoring the situation to ensure a smooth voting process as the municipality heads into the final elections.
