SASOLBURG – The explosive story of ‘Free State municipality paying R6m for six boreholes that can’t be accounted for’ left the Democratic Alliance fuming.
On Thursday, the party’s leadership held a press briefing outside Fezile Dabi District Municipality offices in Sasolburg to clarify facts about what they termed ‘misleading report’.
According to the delegation gathered outside the office, the claims are a political stunt meant to tarnish the opposition party’s reputation.
Opening the press conference, DA national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau explained why the media was swiftly called, mincing no words as she termed the article a blatant misrepresentation of facts.
“As it was previously communicated, we are here to clarify contradictions. It is absolute falsehood that we have six boreholes for R6 million that do not exist or unaccounted for. We want to clarify that so that we can give an insight breakdown where the allegations come from. We have characterized these claims as nothing but a smear campaign trying to derail us from the work that we are doing in this municipality,” she said.
Grasping the mic first, MMC for Local Economic Development, Tourism and Infrastructure in Fezile Dabi is Nick Muller to explain the technicalities of the boreholes.
“The regional scope for this project was that we will drill six new boreholes and a refurbishment of two existing boreholes in Tweeling. This is to divide the water to many homes and residents in the area. The project started with 17 tenders that were submitted, of which the highest bid was over R30 million rand and the cheapest was that for R6.4 million which we accepted,” he said.
“This is not your residential borehole that fills your jojo tank. This is nine boreholes supplying two megaliters of water every day to a community in desperate need of water serving 8000 people,” he said.
Fezile Dabi mayor Dennis Khasudi also weighed in, saying the timing of the scandalous claims was suspicious.
“People must be shaken when good work is happening. Once one realizes that they can’t have their hands in the cookie jar, they make efforts to give misleading information. This is not the first time being given notice for a motion of no confidence for a political leadership. The good work won’t stop here, it will continue in Fezile Dabi,” he said.
Member of the National Council of Provinces Dr Igor Stefan Scheurkogel cemented the foundation of their stern position.
“On Thursday last week, a motion of no confidence was delivered, the next day one opposition party went and laid complaints, then Sunday we get the article. While we are building and serving the community, the opposition wants to come and break down what we are doing as a caring government. It’s clearly a political ploy,” he said.
