By Lisakhanya Mjele and Rod Amner
Makana continues to suffer under a deepening water crisis, despite promises made by the deputy minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Dr Namane Masemola, during a visit to the Makana Municipality on 15 May 2025.
Masemola assured residents of Makana that he would return to Makana on 29 May with plans to deploy high-level engineers and financial experts to take charge of the ailing infrastructure program within the Municipality.
However, more than a month has passed since that promise and no follow-up communication has been received from Cogta. Residents are growing increasingly frustrated by the continued lack of progress and transparency.
Key concerns also remain unaddressed, including how Cogta intends to ensure the safety of any personnel deployed to Makana Municipality. These fears are not unproven. In 2022, Municipal Parks and Recreation Manager Jeff Budaza was murdered. In 2024, Cogta’s seconded engineer, Reynhardt Brittnell, who was brought in to look into the water crisis of Makana, which they failed to protect, fled Makana, fearing for his life after receiving death threats.
“Cogta is not transparent in their communication and they have not taken the citizens into confidence given the criteria, qualities and skills of the individuals that they will be deploying”, said Lungile Mxube, founder and chairperson of the Makana Citizens Front.
Despite the severity of the crisis, the community of Makhanda, including the Makana Citizens Front, remains in the dark about when, and if, lasting solutions will be implemented to resolve the catastrophic water shortages and dehumanising infrastructure in Makhanda. Local residents are now demanding accountability and urgent intervention from provincial government structures to restore basic services and ensure the safety of those tasked with fixing the Municipality’s long-standing issues.
On 21 March 2022, the Anti-Corruption and People’s Water Signature Campaign was launched at the Indoor Sports Centre. The campaign was initiated in response to concerns over the lack of transparency regarding the expenditure of funds allocated to water infrastructure grants in the Makana Municipality. The absence of financial accountability raised serious concerns about mismanagement and potential corruption within the Municipality’s leadership.
“We have written letters both to the minister of water and sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on water and sanitation in the National Assembly and the Presidency,” said Lungile Mxube.
