South Africa: Lekwa-Teemane without water and electricity
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Maverick
Residents of Lekwa-Teemane municipality, in South Africa’s North West province, are facing water and electricity cuts, sewage leaks and severely deteriorated roads. In Bloemhof and Christiana, these failing services are fuelling discontent ahead of local elections, reports Daily Maverick.
The local municipality of Lekwa-Teemane, in South Africa’s North West province, is facing almost constant water and electricity cuts, deteriorating roads and sewage leaks, reports Daily Maverick. In Bloemhof and Christiana, the two main towns in the municipality, residents are also denouncing the lack of response from municipal councillors.
In Cloverdale, a neighbourhood of Bloemhof, water is sometimes available only in the morning and evening, while interruptions can last three or four days. Residents use buckets for sanitation needs after the water tankers were stopped, according to Alutha Bles, a community activist quoted by Daily Maverick.
Lekwa-Teemane’s integrated development plan also points to heavy pressure on sanitation infrastructure, particularly in Boitumelong and Cloverdale. A project to improve a sewage outlet pipe, launched in May 2025 by Mayor Sebang Motlhabi, appeared to have stalled a year later. These difficulties will be a major concern ahead of the local elections on 4 November, according to Daily Maverick.
