PRETORIA - The African National Congress in Tshwane has accused the Democratic Alliance administration of neglecting waste water treatment plants in township areas, which they claim have reached high levels of dysfunctionality and are creating health hazards.
ANC spokesperson for utility services Jane Makgato said the party had rasied concerns about the deteriorating state of waste water treatment in Rooiwal from the first quarter of 2017 up to this year.
"Various mechanism such as reports of the oversight committee were tabled, aiming to bring matters to the attention of the DA-led Executive.To this date, nothing practical to address the situation at the Rooiwaal has been done," Makgato said.
Makgato said another water treatment plant has since been plunged to similar crisis in Klipgat.
"This plant is also dysfunctional owing to lack of maintenance and operations management required to keep it optimally functional."
The ANC in Tshwane called for the resignation of the MMC of Infrastructure Darrel Moss, accusing him of treating people who reside in townships with disrespect.
"It must be noted that MMC Darrel Moss does not even bother to attend the Oversight Committee on Utility Services where the Reports on Waste Water Treatment Plant are deliberated and the solutions for this impasse are formulated. He has no plan on what is to be done and continues to treat our people with disdain," Makgato said.
Makgato said the DA only caters for specific races and classes of people. "They deliberately channel budgets aimed at improving service delivery only to such areas."
Samkelo Mgobozi, spokesperson of the Mayor of Tshwane Solly Msimanga, dismissed the claims made by the ANC and said they were baseless and unoriginal.
"It must be emphasised that the recurring sewage spillage at the Rooiwal waste water treatment works did not start now, it goes back as far as 2006. The problem had been persistent, largely as a result of lack of preventative maintenance under the ANC administration."
Mgobozi said the ANC had been in power for many years and failed to implement a long lasting sustainable solution to the problem.
"We ask the ANC administration to give us space to work and implement what they failed to do during their tenure. We have taken remedial actions to improve the operation of the plant," he said