R70 million for water budget but taps still run dry
Bushbuckridge residents face severe water shortages while the municipality fails to spend its R70 million water infrastructure grants.
Bushbuckridge local municipality in Mpumalanga has come under fire for underspending its allocated water budget while there is a water shortage in its more than 250 villages.
In a document recently presented to the council, the municipality acknowledged an inadequate water supply and conceded that all 252 villages had water shortages.
It is claimed that in the 2024-25 financial year, the municipality only spent 8.3% of the allocated R40 million water services infrastructure grant as of December 2024 and when asked, it did not give straight answers.
Only 8.3% of a R40 million water budget used
'It also spent only 9.1% of the allocated R30 million regional bulk infrastructure grant as of December 2024,' said DA councillor Canuel Mnisi.
'The DA in Bushbuckridge will write to the municipal manager to express its concerns with the underspending of water infrastructure grants while residents are without water.'
Mnisi said residents were deprived of basic services because of the municipality's failure.
ALSO READ: Battle brews over municipality's missing millions
He said that the municipality should start taking accountability and ensure that funds allocated are put to good use for the delivery of services.
'Given a combined shortfall of about R63.9 million, the DA would ask the municipal manager to explain if any more of these grants have been used during the past four months.
'In addition, what measures are in place to ensure that all these grants are utilised by the end of the 2024- 2025 financial year?' said Mnisi.
Water woes despite R1 billion Inyaka Dam completion
Bushbuckridge's water woes are despite the completion of the R1 billion Inyaka Dam some years ago.
In a previous interview with The Citizen, the municipality conceded there was a shortage of water which was attributed to illegal water connections.
Political analyst Goodenough Mashego said the underspending should be investigated to establish what exactly is the cause.
ALSO READ: Councils take pension billions
'The government entity, department or municipality that returns money to the Treasury, or fails to spend its allocated budget for a particular task is a sign of corruption.'
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