POLOKWANE – The Polokwane Municipality has issued a strong condemnation of what it calls an “orchestrated attack” aimed at damaging its reputation, following a social media post alleging discoloured municipal water.

The municipality stated it has noted “with serious concern” a post circulating online with images showing discoloured water. It described the post as “misleading, reckless, and calculated to cause unnecessary panic.”

In a statement, spokesperson Thipa Selala said the municipality had reached out to the author of the post on several occasions to obtain the location of the alleged water issue so that technical teams could investigate and test the water.

“Despite repeated and reasonable requests, the individual has failed and/or refused to provide any verifiable location,” Selala stated. This failure, according to the municipality, has made it impossible to verify the claims or launch an investigation.

Selala asserted that the “failure to provide a location strongly indicates that the claims are fabricated” and that the actions “bear the hallmarks of a deliberate and orchestrated attempt to sabotage” the municipality’s reputation and leadership.

It maintains that municipal water quality is subject to continuous monitoring and testing and that any genuine issues are addressed transparently.

Residents are urged to report water concerns through official municipal channels and to refrain from sharing unverified content.

The municipality warned it reserves its rights to take legal and regulatory action against those found spreading false or malicious information.

The statement concluded by affirming the municipality’s commitment to transparency and public safety while vowing to “firmly defend its integrity” against what it deems smear campaigns.