EFF Provincial Secretary General, Bosanku Msimanga, called for officials to listen to what workers are saying and address their genuine grievances. The workers have been on strike for weeks, demanding the resignation of the mayor of the troubled municipality, Dimakatso Modise. 

The ongoing protests have left communities in Theunissen, Brandfort, and Winburg without reliable water access, impacting residents, schools, clinics, and businesses.

Msimanga emphasised that, while the EFF supports the workers’ calls for better service delivery and an end to corruption, essential services like water should not be obstructed.

“Our people must continue to get water because water is life. We support [the workers] as long as they are fighting for service delivery and against corruption and maladministration. They have the full support of the EFF in the Free State,” Msimanga stated.

DA councillor in Masilonyana, Marieta Visser, also voiced concerns about the lack of action to restore water services. Visser criticised the municipality for failing to provide alternative relief, such as water tankers, and for withholding crucial information from residents. 

“This is a constitutional right – both access to water and access to information. Yet, residents have been left in the dark,” Visser said.

She added that the crisis was exacerbated when the contractor responsible for maintaining Theunissen’s water plant and the pipeline serving Brandfort reportedly halted operations after allegedly not being paid by the municipality. 

Further complicating matters, local councillors and community members discovered that essential equipment parts had been removed from the plant, effectively halting water delivery altogether. These actions, Visser said, “amount to theft and sabotage,” prompting the DA to file a criminal case with Theunissen Police on Saturday.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg