Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Democratic Alliance in Polokwane, Limpopo, has accused the executive mayor and municipal manager of “abandoning” residents in the midst of water shortages after they undertook a trip to Zimbabwe this week.
Mayor John Mpe and municipal manager Thuso Nemugumoni went to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, on the insistence of Premier Stan Mathabatha, to attend the joint provincial council (JIC) of the Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development Initiative.
A special council meeting was convened on Wednesday for the approval of the trip, subsistence allowances and related costs for the mayor and the municipal manager.
DA caucus leader in the municipality, Jacques Joubert, said: “If the interests of Polokwane residents were at top billing, our executive mayor and municipal manager would have remained in the city to give the water crisis their full attention”.
He said Mpe and Nemugumoni could have stayed at home, because the event in Zimbabwe was “just to receive reports on the work of the JIC”.
However, municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala told News24 that the two had gone on the trip because of the municipality’s relationship with the City of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, and “on the invitation by the premier”.
He described the “insinuations” by the DA as “cheap politicking”, “grandstanding and electioneering of note”.
“The future of water provision in Limpopo province, particularly with the discussion of Musina-Makhado SEZ, is very dependent on the provision from Zimbabwe.
“Polokwane is very interested because, when water reaches Makhado, Polokwane should be able to tap into the source for the future of the area. The City can, therefore, not miss the discussion with the Zimbabwean counterparts,” Selala said.
The City of Polokwane has been experiencing severe water shortages since August this year, due mainly to the non-maintenance of infrastructure and breakdowns of systems at two major water plants run by Lepelle Northern Water, responsible for bulk water supply.
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