Rise Mzansi leader blames ANC for chaos in Limpopo

Songezo Zibi, leader of Rise Mzansi, has asserted that over half of Limpopo’s population will cast their votes in the upcoming elections amidst a dire water shortage, attributing the crisis to the mismanagement of the ANC.

Limpopo chaos caused by ANC

Zibi urged all participants in the upcoming elections to support his party, emphasising that Rise Mzansi offers enduring remedies for water scarcity in Limpopo and nationwide.

Zibi stated that South Africa requires approximately R1 trillion to address the nation’s water challenges permanently.

This week, Zibi visited Limpopo to evaluate water delivery to communities severely affected by drought, particularly in remote villages.

According to The Citizen, his primary focus was on the contentious region of Giyani, where the government allocated nearly R5 billion for dam construction but neglected to supply even a drop of water to the thirsty communities residing there.

“While we celebrate the false alleviation of rolling blackouts, we are in the middle of yet another crisis of water scarcity,” he said.

Zibi warned that as long as the ANC remains in government, there’s a genuine risk of the country’s water infrastructure collapsing entirely.

“Go through the streets of our communities, you will find raw sewage flowing through the streets and fresh water gushing out of pipes.

“This illustrates the mess the ANC has put us in, and the crisis that Rise Mzansi has a plan to fix. Zibi said only 12 of the country’s 133 water service authorities are in a good or excellent state and 40% are in a critical state.

“Because of the mess created by the ANC, it is estimated that it will cost a trillion rands over 10 years to fix our water infrastructure,” he said.

Although Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha acknowledged the government’s failure to supply sufficient piped drinking water to the province’s 5.8 million inhabitants, Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu expressed confidence in the significant advancements underway within the Giyani bulk water project.

Mopani District Mayor Pule Shayi echoed Mchunu’s optimism, asserting that a substantial number of villages in Giyani will have access to water by the end of the fiscal year through the R1.3 billion reticulation project.

Giyani water crisis: Distributing responsibility

Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha acknowledged that both the provincial and national governments must collectively accept responsibility for the R4.1 billion Giyani water project, plagued by numerous delays.

According to the Mail & Guardian, in anticipation of the general elections scheduled for 29 May, Mathabatha emphasised that water provision falls under the national government’s jurisdiction.

He stressed that the project’s setbacks should not solely reflect negatively on his administration. 

The endeavour has faced persistent interruptions and accusations of corruption, with officials disregarding supply-chain management protocols.

A report from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), presented to Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts in November, unveiled extensive corruption in the tender processes.

The report highlighted that companies had unlawfully secured tenders, causing the project’s cost to skyrocket from R90 million to R4.1 billion.

Initiated in 2014, the project addressed water supply issues in 55 villages in Giyani. Mathabatha expressed his readiness to be held accountable, emphasising that accountability should be shared collectively, including with the national government.