Speaker, service delivery in the Madibeng Municipality in the North West province has reached an all-time low.
Last week, DA public representatives visited the water purification plant after numerous complaints about water quality. There was green foam and blue algae on the water. The DA insisted that the water be tested and it was found that the water from this plant was not fit for human consumption.
The previous Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, who was fired by the President on Sunday, also visited last week. She had the audacity to say that her department would provide the residents with a Christmas present by helping to fix the plant within three months. The provision of clean water is a right, not a privilege. It is not a Christmas present! This situation should never have happened in the first place, but it did because of corrupt and incompetent ANC municipal officials.
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Madibeng is a perfect example of a municipality where endemic corruption affects service delivery to the poor. There is no money for maintaining water purification plants because of fraud. The Special Investigating Unit has found that 341 Madibeng officials have interests in eight municipal contracts valued at R21,7 million. [Interjections.]
The previous municipal manager has been arrested. Essential after-hours services have ground to a halt as the overtime budget has been overspent by R3 million. Corruption makes poor people poorer and in this ANC-run municipality, this is exactly what is happening. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!