The joint oversight delegation of Parliament, which is engaging with Eastern Cape municipalities during an oversight visit this week, urged the Buffalo City Metro to prioritise visible improvements in basic services, particularly water and electricity.
The leader of the delegation, Dr Zweli Mkhize, who is also the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, had an important reminder for the municipality. “Communities judge governance not by reports but by results, whether water runs, lights stay on and projects are completed,” he said.
His remarks followed a robust engagement between members of the delegation, the Eastern Cape provincial legislature and the metro, where concerns about water shortages in areas such as Kidd’s Beach and King William’s Town were raised. “When will the water supply stabilise? Communities should not queue with animals for water in 2025,” one member said. Members also pressed the municipality to clarify whether the problem lay with Amatola Water Board or the municipality’s own infrastructure.
Members also expressed concerns about vandalism and theft of community assets, including substations and water treatment works and demanded accountability for those tasked with asset protection. “Millions are being lost, yet there are no clear consequences,” said Ms Marina van Zyl, a member of the delegation.
Another concern raised was the Waterworld Fun Park upgrade, which has now exceeded R180 million but remains incomplete. Members heard that the project has since been vandalised and fallen into disrepair. To fix this would cost approximately R50 million, the metro leadership said. The municipality’s reliance on consultants and deviations in procurement processes also drew criticism from members, as well as concerns about staff costs, including overtime payments. Senior municipal officials told members that high overtime costs are incurred for necessary after-hours responses in the water, sanitation and electricity departments. A moratorium on new hires compounds this. They also assured members that consultants are being phased out within a year.
The municipal manager, Mr Mxolisi Yawa, acknowledged weaknesses in the municipality’s project management and administration and said remedial steps are underway. This, he said, also includes actions against errant contractors, with recovery action against contractors underway, and the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) involvement in some of the cases.
Members also heard that replacement of pipes and upgrading of reservoirs are ongoing in critical supply zones. Officials said that vandalism-related electricity losses have cost the municipality R23 million, and new security measures, including camera surveillance, mixed security deployment and upgraded fencing, will be implemented.
The joint delegation, working with the Eastern Cape provincial legislature, continues its engagement with Eastern Cape municipalities today.
Alicestine October
7 October 2025
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