The thirsty residents of Maruleng local municipality in the Hoedspruit area of Limpopo continue to compete for dirty water with animals such as donkeys, monkeys, baboons and goats, 31 years into democracy.
This, after the Mopani district municipality spent R130 million on a failed bulkwater project.
This has irked the second biggest political party at the Limpopo provincial Legislature, the DA, which has written to the province’s MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, Rodgers Basikopo Makamu, for urgent intervention.
“MEC Makamu must intervene in the Mopani district municipality’s inability to supply water in Maruleng, Tzaneen, Giyani, Phalaborwa and Modjadjiskloof,” said Lindy Wilson, DA Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) on Friday.
Crisis level
Wilson, who doubles up as the DA’s provincial chairperson said the Mopani district municipality (MDM)’s longstanding incapacity to provide sufficient access to water in these towns and their communities has now reached crisis levels.
She said Tzaneen was not capable of expanding without compromising residents’ rights to water and sanitation, and that the Maruleng council adopted a 12-month moratorium on development in Hoedspruit on 8 October 2025.
One month into the moratorium, Wilson said there had not been any action by the district municipality.
According to Wilson, since the MDM district municipality (Mopani)’s establishment in 2003, little has been done to develop water and sanitation infrastructure for Hoedspruit to separate the town from the water and sanitation infrastructure of the Drakensig Air Force Base.
“In 2008, MDM acquired land for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant for Hoedspruit and Kampersrus at an estimated cost of R62 million, which was never commissioned. During 2014/2015, a tender for R20 454 000 was awarded to install a 40mm pipe along the R527, but that pipeline has never been in use.
After the 2012 floods, an emergency borehole project was completed. Boreholes, a water tank at the municipal offices, a purification plant built into a container, and a clean water tank were constructed at a cost of R20 283 450.
This was later tested but never fully commissioned. Ironically, now it is rusted beyond repair.
“During 2017/2017 the Hoedspruit bulk water project commenced at a cost of R27 012 469, but was never completed. As if that was not enough, the MDM spent R130 million on projects in Hoedspruit that remain incomplete or not in use.
“These are not isolated incidents; the district is strewn with incomplete and dysfunctional water and sanitation projects, indicative that Mopani district is incapable of implementing its constitutional mandate. MEC Makamu is compelled by Section 155(6) of The Constitution to monitor and assist local government,” Wilson said.
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Mopani district responds
Through its spokesperson, Odas Ngobeni, the Mopani district municipality said it was in the process of engaging the Limpopo public works and the SA National Defence Force to take over the operation and maintenance of the Water Treatment Works in Maruleng.
Ngobeni said the ultimate plan was to upgrade the plant by five megalitres to at least 10,3 megalitres capacity.
The WTW, he said, was in an ideal location for proper supply to Hoedspruit. “However, the pace in the engagements is a bit slow, to the extent that we are also exploring other options which may include constructing a new water treatment works from scratch.”
“The Hoedspruit Bulk Water Supply Project was stalled due to a challenge with land availability. We were due to construct a 5.2 megalitre reservoir to help with increased water supply in town. The project was funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG).
“The raw water bulkline from the Blyde River is complete. However, our wastewater treatment plants are dependent on the availability of water supply. That is why we are prioritising the upgrade of the water treatment plant.
“The local municipality has made land available for us to implement the project. We are currently revising the technical reports for approval by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and we will resume with construction once funding is secured,” he said.
Should the Premier step in?
Asked what the office of the Premier, Phophi Ramathuba, was doing about the lengthy period wherein residents of Maruleng were forced to live without this basic human need, Limpopo provincial government spokesperson Ndavhe Ramakuela said The DA had the right to take the Mopani Council to any institution to hold it to account.
“Actually, the residents of Mopani have the right to hold the Council accountable through the Petition to the Council itself, the Human Rights Commission or the Public Protector. Why has that party not exercised those options, since recommendations of such structures are binding? He asked.
Ramakuela said the Premier does not have the power to fire or hire employees of a municipality.
“What the Premier has been doing is to act within the provisions of the Inter-Governmental Relations Framework, which speaks to overall coordination, support and monitoring,” said Ramakuela.
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