This, as members of the opposition demand answers on the government's plan of action regarding the water crisis faced in this municipality. The DA leader, Roy Jankielsohn, says it is appalling that residents in this municipality are currently without water and left at the receiving end of a government that does not prioritise their needs. Speaking ahead of the tabling of the province's mid-term budget by Finance MEC Gadija Brown, Jankielsohn told the House that the Provincial Government seems to not be doing much to help residents in Maluti-A-Phofung.

His statement comes just a week after the Water and Sanitation Department in the province urged residents in this municipality to boil water before drinking it.

The Department said the municipality is facing severe water challenges due to decreased water levels at the Fika Patso Dam and this has “forced the turbidity levels to a maximum, which in turn makes it a requirement for water to be boiled before consumption, as a precautionary measure”.

The opposition leader, however, told the House that the Provincial Government has failed to put plans in place to help residents in this municipality and that the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembeni Nxangisa's interventions has not improved the financial position of the municipality.

The municipality is counted amongst those highly indebted to Eskom with an outstanding amount of nearly R4 billion.

Out of the Free State municipalities that collectively owe over R9.8 billion, Maluti-A-Phofung owes the most.

In response to the DA's concerns, Premier Sisi Ntombela, however, told the House that they are working with the Water and Sanitation Department regarding the water challenges in this area and will soon release a report outlining their action plan.

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