The service company Pionier and the Kgetlengrivier Concerned Residents (KCR) burned the midnight oil on Sunday evening and Monday morning to help restore the electricity and water supply in Swartruggens after the town went without electricity for days. The power failure meant that the pump station, which is managed by the two organisations, could not supply the Swartruggens community with water.
A new electricity cable was purchased and the work done by themselves to ensure that residents have water and electricity. The pump room at the Boralelo settlement also suffered damages by vandals, who broke the locks and cut the wires. A case of sabotage was opened at the town’s SAPS station. Residents also held a protest march, closing off roads to show their despondency with the municipality’s refusal to do repair and maintenance work.
On Friday, AfriForum placed the municipality on terms in a bid to force them to take the necessary steps to restore electricity supply. According to Petrus Coetzee, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Marico, the protest action is a sign of the community’s frustration with poor service delivery. “Swartruggens is a mirror of the country’s municipal problems. We expect many similar protest actions by frustrated community members in the run-up to the elections later this year.”
“Because of the sabotage by malicious groups for political gain, and because of the municipality’s unwillingness and inability to solve their problems, members of the community have no other choice but to step in and provide the services themselves. Pionier is proud to work alongside the local community to solve problems and ensure sustainable service delivery in communities. It is heart-warming to witness the community’s self-do initiative and the support by Pionier’s personnel,” says Johan Kruger, Director of Pionier Dienstemaatskappy.
According to Wilhelm Rochér, local community leader, the community has a proud record of self-do initiatives and being able to solve problems themselves. “We are pleased to be able to help the community in the midst of state decline and municipal neclegence – to be able to intervene and repair. After our involvement, the Boralelo settlement has water once again and can look forward to the upcoming public holiday with running clean water – and dignity.”