By BAKANG MOKOTO
25 October 2024- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Northern Cape said the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), together with local and provincial governments, must adopt a whole of society approach to canal safety in the Phokwane area. This follows two recent drowning incidents in the canal.
The DA’s Constituency Head of Diamond North, who is also Member of Parliament (MP), Lisa Schickerling said they appreciate the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo’s visit to the area over the weekend and his commitment towards amplifying canal safety education.
“After myself, together with DA Provincial Leader, Harold McGluwa, personally extended our condolences to the grieving family members of a boy, Kutlwano Sehemo (13), from Bonita Park Informal Settlement, near Hartwater, who drowned in the Vaalharts main canal, the DA feels strongly that more needs to be done to safeguard the community from further loss of life.
“The DA will engage with the Northern Cape MEC for Education and ask that he works together with Phokwane Local Municipality, to initiate safety programmes at schools in the vicinity of open canals. The municipality should extend awareness campaigns to farming communities, in addition to churches and broader community organisations,” she said.
Schickerling said they will further ask the Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) to engage with the municipality, to determine how underlying issues, such as access to water or the facilitation of safe, public swimming areas, can be better facilitated to prevent communities from relying on the canals in any way.
In addition, she said they would like to see local authorities take responsibility for erecting warning signs in the canal vicinity as a matter of urgency.
“With summer temperatures already being experienced, and the lure of water set to increase substantially as we head towards the hotter months, we hope that solutions will be implemented without delay to help prevent further tragedy, especially in the Hartswater area,” said Schickerling.
The Guardian 