A team of specialists and engineers from Sibanye Stillwater paid a visit to the Parys and Vredefort water purfication plants on Wednesday 4 May, for an assesment of the water challenges experienced in all Ngwathe’s towns including Parys, Vredefort, Koppies, Heilbron and Edenville. As soon as their report has been finalised, the specialist and engineering team will sit together with Ngwathe management to formulate a working relationship on how best Sibanyane Stillwater can assist the municipality in giving relief to the ongoing water crisis experienced, leaving resident frequently without water.
This working relationship is a result of a mayoral initiative after a letter written by Ngwathe Executive Mayor, Cllr Victoria de Beer, asking for the mine’s assistance.
In an inspiring message to the business community at the Parys Business Network meeting last night (Wednesday 4 May), the mayor said that the community had patience for years with the ongoing water crises, but they are tired now.
“You can’t pretend that everything is fine, if everything is not ok, but it is ok to say I am not fine. How can you help me? And then we see how we can help each other.”
“”It is up to us to not take it personal, but time for us to work for the community, to make changes,” she said.
“I always say to councillors we can not do it alone. It is important to listen to different views all the time,” she emphasized.
With regard to the municipality’s Eskom account, she added that Ngwathe management was dealing with the Eskom account on Wednesday, and that discussions with Eskom would take place today, Thursday 5 May.
She made it clear that as business owners are the biggest account holders from which municipality collect money, it can not be allowed that businesses suffer without electricity while they are paying their accounts.
The Parys Business Network meeting at The Doors was well attended and hosted and received many compliments for the excellent network opportunity and positive ideas that were put on the table. The Parys Business Network meets on a montly basis offering an excellent opportunity for the business community to get to know each other, work on marketing strategies and share ideas.
