South African municipality spent R50,000 on a competition while its residents were exposed to contaminated water

The Letsemeng Local Municipality reportedly spent R50,000 on an entrepreneurial competition while delivering contaminated water to its residents.

Letsemeng falls under the Xhariep District Municipality in the Free State, with Koffiefontein as its municipal seat. Its population was recorded at 43,101 in the 2022 census.

The municipality instructed residents of Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein, and Petrusberg to boil their water for drinking and cooking after E. coli was detected in municipal water supply systems.

The municipality confirmed microbiological non-compliance with the SANS 241:2025 drinking water standards due to the presence of E. coli in its water supply.

Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature David McKay described this as a “serious public health failure, not just a routine inconvenience.”

While reservoir flushing and increased disinfection measures across the municipality are under way, McKay said residents deserved clear answers on how this had been allowed to happen.

“Emergency measures cannot replace the municipality’s responsibility to prevent unsafe water from reaching residents in the first place,” McKay said.

“Were treatment chemicals unavailable? Were water budgets neglected? Did procurement failures, financial constraints, or possible wrongdoing compromise the safety of the water supply?”

McKay said these questions required a transparent, independently verified investigation, and said the timing of the crisis was particularly alarming.

The contamination comes as the municipality has reportedly increased spending on high-visibility clean-up campaigns, pothole repairs, and a R50,000 entrepreneurial competition.

McKay questioned the importance of these projects ahead of the local government elections, which are set to take place next week on 4 November 2026.

“Residents are entitled to ask whether public money was directed toward politically convenient projects while essential water treatment safeguards were neglected,” McKay said.

“The Mayor cannot claim credit merely for issuing a warning after contamination was found. Communication was necessary. Prevention was the duty. Water is a human right, not an election-season afterthought.”

McKay called for an independent investigation into Letsemeng’s water crisis to determine whether failures in water treatment had exposed residents to E. coli contamination.

He demanded the disclosure of chemical stock levels, water-quality testing records, budgets and procurement decisions, and accountability where negligence or wrongdoing is found.