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Fezile Dabi Mayor Khasudi: ‘The Boreholes Exist, and the DA is Delivering for Residents’

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Fezile Dabi Mayor Khasudi: ‘The Boreholes Exist, and the DA is Delivering for Residents’ By Thobeka Makume In a press conference held on 13 March 2025, Fezile Dabi District Municipality Mayor Dennis Khasudi addressed allegations that the municipality spent R6 million on six boreholes that cannot be accounted for. The mayor, alongside other Democratic Alliance (DA) officials, firmly denied these claims, asserting that the boreholes do exist and form part of a vital project to tackle water shortages in Tweeling/Mafahlaneng. The Controversy: Allegations of Missing Boreholes The story began with a City Press article published on 9 March 2025, titled “Free State municipality pays R6m for six boreholes that can’t be accounted for.” The report claimed that the DA-led Fezile Dabi District Municipality had spent over R6 million on six boreholes meant to supply water to Tweeling/Mafahlaneng communities, but these could not be traced. It alleged that the cash-strapped municipality issued a tender without specifying borehole locations and that only one borehole—supposedly drilled at Municipal Manager Sipho Thomas’s private property in Parys—could be “unofficially accounted for.” The article painted a picture of mismanagement, suggesting that more than R4 million had been paid to the service provider, Leno 887 Solutions PTY Limited, by December 2024, despite no visible progress. It further accused Thomas of authorising the tender and linked the borehole at his property to possible corruption, claiming it was a “token of appreciation” for awarding the contract. These allegations ignited a firestorm, prompting the municipality to respond swiftly. On 10 March 2025, Fezile Dabi issued a media statement refuting the claims as “misleading and factually inaccurate.” Three days later, Mayor Khasudi and his team held a press conference to set the record straight. The Municipality’s Response: Boreholes Exist and Deliver Water At the press conference, Mayor Khasudi dismissed the City Press report as a “falsehood” and a “smear campaign” aimed at undermining the DA’s work. “It is a falsehood that there is absolutely no borehole to be accounted for,” he said. “We do have a lot of boreholes in South Africa, in the Free State in particular, but it is a falsehood that we do not have any boreholes that can be accounted for. They exist.” MMC for Local Economic Development, Tourism, and Infrastructure, Nick Muller, provided a technical breakdown of the project. He explained that the original plan was to drill six new boreholes and refurbish two existing ones in Tweeling to supply water to over 8,000 residents. However, refurbishing the two old boreholes proved too costly, so the municipality opted to drill additional ones instead. “The original scope for this project was that we will drill six new boreholes and refurbish two existing boreholes in the Tweeling area,” Muller said. “However, it was not financially viable to refurbish the two existing ones, so we decided to drill additional boreholes instead.” In total, 12 boreholes were drilled, with nine equipped and operational, delivering a combined 2 megalitre supply of water daily—enough to meet the project’s goal. Muller emphasized that these are not ordinary backyard boreholes but industrial-scale installations with pump houses, PVC casings, and gravel packing, connected to local water works for distribution. “I promise you they are there,” Muller told the media. “You are welcome to come and see them. I’ll give you GPS coordinates of each one of them as well.” The municipality’s 10 March statement corroborated this, noting that the project, costing R6.4 million, was 91% complete as of 7 March 2025. Milestones included site establishment, borehole drilling, pump-house construction, and electrical installations—all at or near 100% completion. Only R2.9 million had been paid by December 2024, not R4 million as claimed, with payments ratified by the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) on a cost-reimbursement basis for Mafube Local Municipality. Addressing the Municipal Manager Allegations The City Press report singled out Municipal Manager Sipho Thomas, alleging that a borehole at his private property was illegally funded with state money. The municipality strongly rejected this. In the press conference, Mayor Khasudi acknowledged the rumour but clarified that any borehole at Thomas’s residence was a private matter, not part of the official project. “We only know about the nine boreholes,” Khasudi said, referring to Muller’s explanation. “The other boreholes… it is not within the specification that the institution has to deal with.” The 10 March statement added, “Claims that a borehole was illegally drilled at [Thomas’s] private property in Parys are categorically false and appear to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish and malign his reputation and the municipality’s integrity.” Additional context emerged from prior reporting. A 2023 Auditor-General report flagged Thomas’s appointment due to lacking a required bachelor’s degree, though the municipality resolved similar issues for other managers by May 2024. The EFF has since accused Thomas of fraud and perjury, filing complaints with the Public Protector and tabling a motion of no confidence against Khasudi and Speaker Sidney Pittaway. However, the DA maintains that Thomas has acted within supply chain management rules, and an upcoming Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe will address any maladministration concerns. Why the Borehole Project Matters The borehole project is more than a response to allegations—it’s a lifeline for Tweeling/Mafahlaneng residents facing chronic water shortages. Located near the Vaal Dam, Fezile Dabi still struggles with bulk water distribution, worsened by reliance on suppliers like Rand Water and Sedibeng, which have faced delivery issues. The upcoming Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel closure in 2025 threatens further disruptions, making local water sources critical. Muller highlighted the project’s scale: “These nine boreholes supply two megalitres of water every day to a community… which is in desperate need of assistance with water.” This ensures a sustainable supply for over 8,000 people, even if main water networks fail. Research from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) underscores the urgency. A 2023 DWS report noted that Free State municipalities face “significant water security challenges” due to aging infrastructure and drought risks. The Fezile Dabi borehole initiative aligns with national efforts to bolster local water resilience, a priority as South Africa grapples with climate change impacts. Political Tensions: Motion of No Confidence The borehole controversy unfolds against a backdrop of political rivalry. The EFF’s motion of no confidence, delivered on 6 March 2025, accuses the DA leadership of mismanagement, citing the borehole project and Thomas’s qualifications. The timing—followed by the City Press article three days later—suggests a coordinated attack, according to DA Provincial Deputy Chairperson Igor Scheurkogel. “While we are building and serving the community, the EFF wants to come and break down what we are doing,” Scheurkogel said at the press conference. “This project was inherited from the previous administration, and we have delivered not just six boreholes but twelve functioning boreholes serving the community daily.” Mayor Khasudi remained defiant: “People must be shaken when good work is happening. Once you realize that you can’t have your hand in the cookie jar, you’ll make all efforts to mislead and give information without substance.” The DA frames the motion as an attempt to derail its progress. National Spokesperson Karabo Khakhau praised the municipality on social media, saying, “Dumela MMC Nick Muller! Your boreholes exist and we know it! Thank you for your dedicated service to the residents of the Fezile Dabi District Municipality! We can’t wait for the unveiling.” Beyond Boreholes: Fezile Dabi Stadium Handover Amid the borehole debate, Khasudi announced the successful handover of the Fezile Dabi Stadium to one of its local municipalities, likely Ngwathe, after years of contention. Built over seven or eight years ago, the stadium had been a liability on the district’s asset register due to poor construction and maintenance issues. “The official handover was a successful process,” Khasudi said, referencing meetings with the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Public Works, and local stakeholders. The transfer, completed in February 2025, removes a financial burden and ensures the facility is managed by its rightful owners. This move reflects the DA’s efforts to streamline governance and focus on core responsibilities, such as supporting its four local municipalities: Ngwathe, Metsimaholo, Mafube, and Moqhaka. DA’s Broader Achievements in Fezile Dabi The press conference showcased the DA’s wider service delivery record. Khasudi highlighted several initiatives: • Skills Audit: Completed to identify gaps and boost workforce efficiency, addressing a long-standing oversight. • Street Lights Project: Extended to all local municipalities, enhancing safety and visibility. • EPWP Programme: Created jobs through cleaning projects in Metsimaholo, with plans to expand to other areas in the 2025/26 financial year. • Health Councils: Established a District Health Council and TB/HIV-AIDS Council to tackle health challenges. • Audit Improvements: Reduced historic audit findings from 76 to 41, earning cleaner financial reports. “We have managed to reduce the historic audit findings from 76 to 41, and we have removed the Fezile Dabi Stadium from our asset register, which was giving us a red flag,” Khasudi said. These steps underscore the DA’s commitment to good governance and tangible results.

Fezile Dabi

In a press conference held on 13 March 2025, Fezile Dabi District Municipality Mayor Dennis Khasudi addressed allegations that the municipality spent R6 million on six boreholes that cannot be accounted for. The mayor, alongside other Democratic Alliance (DA) officials, firmly denied these claims, asserting that the boreholes do exist and form part of a vital project to tackle water shortages in Tweeling/Mafahlaneng.

The Controversy: Allegations of Missing Boreholes

The story began with a City Press article published on 9 March 2025, titled “Free State municipality pays R6m for six boreholes that can’t be accounted for.” The report claimed that the DA-led Fezile Dabi District Municipality had spent over R6 million on six boreholes meant to supply water to Tweeling/Mafahlaneng communities, but these could not be traced. It alleged that the cash-strapped municipality issued a tender without specifying borehole locations and that only one borehole—supposedly drilled at Municipal Manager Sipho Thomas’s private property in Parys—could be “unofficially accounted for.”

The article painted a picture of mismanagement, suggesting that more than R4 million had been paid to the service provider, Leno 887 Solutions PTY Limited, by December 2024, despite no visible progress. It further accused Thomas of authorising the tender and linked the borehole at his property to possible corruption, claiming it was a “token of appreciation” for awarding the contract.

These allegations ignited a firestorm, prompting the municipality to respond swiftly. On 10 March 2025, Fezile Dabi issued a media statement refuting the claims as “misleading and factually inaccurate.” Three days later, Mayor Khasudi and his team held a press conference to set the record straight.

The Municipality’s Response: Boreholes Exist and Deliver Water

At the press conference, Mayor Khasudi dismissed the City Press report as a “falsehood” and a “smear campaign” aimed at undermining the DA’s work. “It is a falsehood that there is absolutely no borehole to be accounted for,” he said. “We do have a lot of boreholes in South Africa, in the Free State in particular, but it is a falsehood that we do not have any boreholes that can be accounted for. They exist.”

MMC for Local Economic Development, Tourism, and Infrastructure, Nick Muller, provided a technical breakdown of the project. He explained that the original plan was to drill six new boreholes and refurbish two existing ones in Tweeling to supply water to over 8,000 residents. However, refurbishing the two old boreholes proved too costly, so the municipality opted to drill additional ones instead.

“The original scope for this project was that we will drill six new boreholes and refurbish two existing boreholes in the Tweeling area,” Muller said. “However, it was not financially viable to refurbish the two existing ones, so we decided to drill additional boreholes instead.”

In total, 12 boreholes were drilled, with nine equipped and operational, delivering a combined 2 megalitre supply of water daily—enough to meet the project’s goal. Muller emphasized that these are not ordinary backyard boreholes but industrial-scale installations with pump houses, PVC casings, and gravel packing, connected to local water works for distribution.

“I promise you they are there,” Muller told the media. “You are welcome to come and see them. I’ll give you GPS coordinates of each one of them as well.”

The municipality’s 10 March statement corroborated this, noting that the project, costing R6.4 million, was 91% complete as of 7 March 2025. Milestones included site establishment, borehole drilling, pump-house construction, and electrical installations—all at or near 100% completion. Only R2.9 million had been paid by December 2024, not R4 million as claimed, with payments ratified by the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) on a cost-reimbursement basis for Mafube Local Municipality.

Addressing the Municipal Manager Allegations

The City Press report singled out Municipal Manager Sipho Thomas, alleging that a borehole at his private property was illegally funded with state money. The municipality strongly rejected this. In the press conference, Mayor Khasudi acknowledged the rumour but clarified that any borehole at Thomas’s residence was a private matter, not part of the official project.

“We only know about the nine boreholes,” Khasudi said, referring to Muller’s explanation. “The other boreholes… it is not within the specification that the institution has to deal with.”

The 10 March statement added, “Claims that a borehole was illegally drilled at [Thomas’s] private property in Parys are categorically false and appear to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish and malign his reputation and the municipality’s integrity.”

Additional context emerged from prior reporting. A 2023 Auditor-General report flagged Thomas’s appointment due to lacking a required bachelor’s degree, though the municipality resolved similar issues for other managers by May 2024. The EFF has since accused Thomas of fraud and perjury, filing complaints with the Public Protector and tabling a motion of no confidence against Khasudi and Speaker Sidney Pittaway. However, the DA maintains that Thomas has acted within supply chain management rules, and an upcoming Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe will address any maladministration concerns.

Why the Borehole Project Matters

The borehole project is more than a response to allegations—it’s a lifeline for Tweeling/Mafahlaneng residents facing chronic water shortages. Located near the Vaal Dam, Fezile Dabi still struggles with bulk water distribution, worsened by reliance on suppliers like Rand Water and Sedibeng, which have faced delivery issues. The upcoming Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel closure in 2025 threatens further disruptions, making local water sources critical.

Muller highlighted the project’s scale: “These nine boreholes supply two megalitres of water every day to a community… which is in desperate need of assistance with water.” This ensures a sustainable supply for over 8,000 people, even if main water networks fail.

Research from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) underscores the urgency. A 2023 DWS report noted that Free State municipalities face “significant water security challenges” due to aging infrastructure and drought risks. The Fezile Dabi borehole initiative aligns with national efforts to bolster local water resilience, a priority as South Africa grapples with climate change impacts.

Political Tensions: Motion of No Confidence

The borehole controversy unfolds against a backdrop of political rivalry. The EFF’s motion of no confidence, delivered on 6 March 2025, accuses the DA leadership of mismanagement, citing the borehole project and Thomas’s qualifications. The timing—followed by the City Press article three days later—suggests a coordinated attack, according to DA Provincial Deputy Chairperson Igor Scheurkogel.

“While we are building and serving the community, the EFF wants to come and break down what we are doing,” Scheurkogel said at the press conference. “This project was inherited from the previous administration, and we have delivered not just six boreholes but twelve functioning boreholes serving the community daily.”

Mayor Khasudi remained defiant: “People must be shaken when good work is happening. Once you realize that you can’t have your hand in the cookie jar, you’ll make all efforts to mislead and give information without substance.”

The DA frames the motion as an attempt to derail its progress. National Spokesperson Karabo Khakhau praised the municipality on social media, saying, “Dumela MMC Nick Muller! Your boreholes exist and we know it! Thank you for your dedicated service to the residents of the Fezile Dabi District Municipality! We can’t wait for the unveiling.”

Beyond Boreholes: Fezile Dabi Stadium Handover

Amid the borehole debate, Khasudi announced the successful handover of the Fezile Dabi Stadium to one of its local municipalities, likely Ngwathe, after years of contention. Built over seven or eight years ago, the stadium had been a liability on the district’s asset register due to poor construction and maintenance issues.

“The official handover was a successful process,” Khasudi said, referencing meetings with the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Public Works, and local stakeholders. The transfer, completed in February 2025, removes a financial burden and ensures the facility is managed by its rightful owners.

This move reflects the DA’s efforts to streamline governance and focus on core responsibilities, such as supporting its four local municipalities: Ngwathe, Metsimaholo, Mafube, and Moqhaka.

DA’s Broader Achievements in Fezile Dabi

The press conference showcased the DA’s wider service delivery record. Khasudi highlighted several initiatives:

•   Skills Audit: Completed to identify gaps and boost workforce efficiency, addressing a long-standing oversight.
•   Street Lights Project: Extended to all local municipalities, enhancing safety and visibility.
•   EPWP Programme: Created jobs through cleaning projects in Metsimaholo, with plans to expand to other areas in the 2025/26 financial year.
•   Health Councils: Established a District Health Council and TB/HIV-AIDS Council to tackle health challenges.
•   Audit Improvements: Reduced historic audit findings from 76 to 41, earning cleaner financial reports.

“We have managed to reduce the historic audit findings from 76 to 41, and we have removed the Fezile Dabi Stadium from our asset register, which was giving us a red flag,” Khasudi said. These steps underscore the DA’s commitment to good governance and tangible results.

Fezile Dabi Mayor Khasudi: ‘The Boreholes Exist, and the DA is Delivering for Residents’
Fezile Dabi Mayor Khasudi: ‘The Boreholes Exist, and the DA is Delivering for Residents’

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