DA and Patriotic Alliance at War Over Sewage Spill in the Central Karoo Municipality

• The DA has taken the Patriotic Alliance’s Gayton McKenzie to task over claims that a tender was irregularly awarded in the Central Karoo
• The party claims the community is living in raw sewage because of the slapdash work on the part of the contractor
• The Central Karoo has been the hub of several infrastructure projects that are instrumental in creating jobs in the area

WESTERN CAPE - The DA and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) got into a heated exchange over a sewage spill in newton Park in the Prince Albert municipality in the Western Cape.

News24 reported that the DA head of the constituency in Prince Albert, Sharna Fernandez hurled accusations at the mayor of the Central Karoo Gayton McKenzie, claiming the raw sewage posed a health risk and a danger and claimed the spill was because of an irregularly awarded contract.

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Fernandez described the work done by the contractors as “slash dash and careless”, which was a risk to the community.

Fernandez said inspection of the worksite revealed shoddy and unfinished workmanship, saying:

“Drains were left open or simply covered with rocks, and some were filled to the brim with sewage. There was no sight of a contractor while we were there, neither was there any danger tape or security personnel to alert the public to the risk of the exposed drains.”

According to Fernandez, the municipal manager had written to the contractor to request the submission of several documents, but they were never submitted.

McKenzie clapped back at the constituency head’s disparagement in a Facebook post that claimed Fernandez had no shame and that the sewage spill was because of a burst pipe. McKenzie said:

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“I am here now, and indeed the pipe burst, and it's being fixed. You left people with bucket toilets for 80 years. The contractor is on-site, the work was done by members of the community and shall continue to be done by members of the community."

Central Karoo earmarked as site for public works projects

According to Tertuis Simmers, Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, key road projects currently underway in Central Karoo are progressing well.

SABC News reported that the project has created 317 jobs in the area; out of this, 176 youth and 87 women have been employed.

This comes as the Department of Transports embarks on a national project, Operation Vala Zonke, to fill all the potholes in South African roads.

South Africans weigh in on the verbal spat between the PA and DA

@valdesmongezi1 commented:

"It was bound to happen when when unqualified people built sewerage systems, where are those Gayton tweekers now?"

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@Brettbenraphael added:

"And that's why coalitions will never work..."

@JaiVictor1

"They should throw sewerage at each other… I mean this literally!!!"

Explained: Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie's come-up as Central Karoo District Municipality Mayor

Previously, Briefly News reported that first-time mayor and former convict Gayton McKenzie reached his first milestone as mayor of the Central Karoo District Municipality on Friday, 22 July, which marked 100 days in office.

The Patriotic Alliance leader made a lot of promises when he first took up office and told residents that he would ramp up service delivery, create jobs and root out the many problems the Central Karoo District faces.

Source: Briefly News