Fochville, Kokosi residents urge Lesufi to place Merafong Municipality under administration

Residents of Fochville and Kokosi have urged Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to place the embattled Merafong Local Municipality under administration, warning that both water and electricity supply are at risk due to ballooning debt.

In a memorandum delivered during Tuesday's shutdown protest, the Greater Fochville Water Crisis Committee demanded the appointment of an independent administrator to develop a turnaround plan.

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The immediate priority, they said, must be settling Merafong’s staggering R1.4 billion debt to Rand Water, which has alreadyled to supply cuts and left households without reliable access to running water.

But residents stressed that the water crisis was only part of the problem.

Spokesperson Ramafala Ramatshoe said they fear Merafong’s mounting arrears to Eskom could soon spark an electricity disaster.

"We, as the residents, we believe that we have made inroads, we believe that our march was successful, and we have further requested that the premier must place this municipality under administration. Appoint an administrator who will come with a turnaround strategy on how to resolve this debt of Rand Water, including the one of Eskom, that we know it might come to bite us very soon."

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