Mothutlung residents to march with Malema

799 22.01.2014 Residents of Hebron marched to the Madibeng municipal offices as they protest against water shortages in their area, Brits,North West. Picture: Itumeleng English

799 22.01.2014 Residents of Hebron marched to the Madibeng municipal offices as they protest against water shortages in their area, Brits,North West. Picture: Itumeleng English

Published Jan 24, 2014

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Brits - Mothutlung residents were boarding a bus to Brits in the North West to march with EFF leader Julius Malema to the local municipality's offices on Friday morning.

People wearing red berets and Economic Freedom Fighters T-shirts were singing in the bus as they waited for more residents to arrive.

Mothutlung residents staged protests against water shortages last week. Four people were killed during the protests, allegedly at the hands of the police.

Malema was expected to lead the march to the Madibeng local municipality.

Meanwhile North West premier Thandi Modise on Friday asked residents to give its R2 billion water project a chance before staging violent protests.

"There is no need for communities to be misled to participate in illegal marches, burn properties or allow themselves to be used by those who seek to exploit their genuine concerns to create an environment for chaos," she said in a statement.

The plan includes bulk infrastructure upgrades and borehole refurbishments to meet the basic demand of 60 litres of water per person per day.

The project also includes the development of a groundwater scheme in Mankwe and Madikwe, and the replacement of old asbestos cement pipes.

The plan, with delivery time-frames, was part of a memorandum of understanding signed between Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and Modise last weekend.

Modise said the project would be rolled out across the North West soon.

Water problems had been experienced in several parts of the province, including Jericho and Mothutlung.

In nearby Hebron, residents had been complaining about service delivery and called for the resignation of their ward councillor. They claimed the councillor neither listened to them nor addressed their grievances.

Madibeng mayor Poppy Mangongwa and two other officials - chief whip Solly Malete and speaker Buti Makhongela - resigned on Tuesday. No reason was given for their resignations.

On Thursday, a new pipe was installed in Madibeng to address the water shortage in the area.

Water affairs department spokesman Mava Scott said a 600mm diameter pipe had been installed to enable an increased flow of water into the system. It would accommodate about 200 cubic metres of water an hour.

Scott said the department had identified other areas which also needed attention. - Sapa

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