The ongoing crisis in the Ditsobotla local municipality is more than just a political disaster — it is a human tragedy. For years, residents have suffered under an increasingly dysfunctional local government, where service delivery failures have become the norm.
Erratic water supply, prolonged power outages, crumbling roads, and uncollected refuse have become part of daily life. The municipality has all but collapsed, and its residents are paying the price.
In Blydeville, a resident has been supplying water to her community for five years because the municipality has failed to do so. Hundreds of people queue at her home daily to fill their buckets because the town’s water is only available for four hours a day — between 6am and 10am.
Burgersdorp and Kiesserville residents have endured weeklong power outages because the municipality cannot afford to replace stolen cables. Businesses suffer, children are forced to study by candlelight, and entire communities are left in darkness.
This is not a temporary inconvenience — it is a disgraceful failure of leadership
Despite being placed under administration multiple times, the municipality remains in turmoil. The Section 139 intervention has not restored order — it has deepened instability.
The North West province’s failure to provide proper oversight allowed the crisis to escalate, and by the time Section 139 was invoked, the damage was too severe. The intervention created a power vacuum that rival factions have exploited, leading to violent clashes over leadership.
The real tragedy is that these problems are not due to a lack of resources. A retired engineer from the municipality has confirmed that there is enough water to supply the community, but mismanagement and political infighting have prevented regular maintenance and proper staffing.
Political infighting has taken precedence over governance. The ANC’s weakening grip, the EFF’s attempts to capitalise on the chaos, and the ongoing power struggles have turned Ditsobotla into a political battlefield, while residents continue to suffer.
The people of Ditsobotla deserve better. The provincial and national governments must step in, not just with another political intervention, but with real, practical solutions to restore service delivery.
The crisis in Ditsobotla is a betrayal of its people. This is not a municipality without solutions — it is a municipality without the will to implement them.
The national government must intervene decisively, not with another failed political manoeuvre, but with real, practical solutions to restore basic services.
The people of Ditsobotla cannot afford to wait any longer. Enough is enough — it is time for action, more so by higher authorities above the provincial department of cooperative governance.
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SOWETAN SAYS | Ditsobotla, a betrayal of residents' trust
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
The ongoing crisis in the Ditsobotla local municipality is more than just a political disaster — it is a human tragedy. For years, residents have suffered under an increasingly dysfunctional local government, where service delivery failures have become the norm.
Erratic water supply, prolonged power outages, crumbling roads, and uncollected refuse have become part of daily life. The municipality has all but collapsed, and its residents are paying the price.
In Blydeville, a resident has been supplying water to her community for five years because the municipality has failed to do so. Hundreds of people queue at her home daily to fill their buckets because the town’s water is only available for four hours a day — between 6am and 10am.
Burgersdorp and Kiesserville residents have endured weeklong power outages because the municipality cannot afford to replace stolen cables. Businesses suffer, children are forced to study by candlelight, and entire communities are left in darkness.
This is not a temporary inconvenience — it is a disgraceful failure of leadership
Despite being placed under administration multiple times, the municipality remains in turmoil. The Section 139 intervention has not restored order — it has deepened instability.
The North West province’s failure to provide proper oversight allowed the crisis to escalate, and by the time Section 139 was invoked, the damage was too severe. The intervention created a power vacuum that rival factions have exploited, leading to violent clashes over leadership.
The real tragedy is that these problems are not due to a lack of resources. A retired engineer from the municipality has confirmed that there is enough water to supply the community, but mismanagement and political infighting have prevented regular maintenance and proper staffing.
Political infighting has taken precedence over governance. The ANC’s weakening grip, the EFF’s attempts to capitalise on the chaos, and the ongoing power struggles have turned Ditsobotla into a political battlefield, while residents continue to suffer.
The people of Ditsobotla deserve better. The provincial and national governments must step in, not just with another political intervention, but with real, practical solutions to restore service delivery.
The crisis in Ditsobotla is a betrayal of its people. This is not a municipality without solutions — it is a municipality without the will to implement them.
The national government must intervene decisively, not with another failed political manoeuvre, but with real, practical solutions to restore basic services.
The people of Ditsobotla cannot afford to wait any longer. Enough is enough — it is time for action, more so by higher authorities above the provincial department of cooperative governance.
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