Important South African town collapsing, with government buildings stripped, substations vandalised, and sewage pumped into its dam

Lichtenburg, a regional economic and agricultural hub in the North West province, is collapsing despite numerous interventions to stem the rot.

Lichtenburg was founded in 1873 as an agricultural centre, but it was the diamond rush in the 1920s that placed it on the map.

Thousands flooded the area in search of quick riches, which cemented its position as an important town in South Africa’s far west.

After the region was mined out, it returned to its roots as an agricultural town. It lies in the heart of the maize triangle, South Africa’s main maize-growing area.

Cement production is another core economic activity in the area, with four major cement producers located there.

Lichtenburg used to be known as “pretty town worth a stopover for the quaint tranquillity, sense of history and calm”.

The town is the administrative centre of the Ditsobotla Local Municipality, which covers 6,500 square kilometres and includes 11 towns and villages.

Years of mismanagement and corruption at the Ditsobotla Local Municipality have left Lichtenburg in a dismal state.

Basic services, like water, electricity, proper roads, and refuse removal, are not guaranteed, with outages lasting days or even weeks.

It has reached such problematic levels that Clover was forced to close its flagship cheese factory in Lichtenburg in 2021.

In 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the town as having fallen under the grip of gangsterism, highlighting issues of corruption, capture, and looting by officials.

Despite Ramaphosa’s concerns and numerous other interventions, nothing changed. In 2023, the municipality was placed under provincial administration.

However, this move had no impact on the region’s recovery efforts. The struggle between the two leadership factions continued into 2025 and 2026.

Lichtenburg is a dilapidated mess

This week, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) said that remedial steps were needed to restore service delivery in the Ditsobotla Local Municipality.

It met with Khotso de Wee, the Head of Good Governance and Institutional Development of the National Cabinet Representative (NCR).

De Wee was deployed to the Ditsobotla Local Municipality to resolve the problems, but it has not happened.

The Freedom Front Plus said that large-scale sewage pollution has become a common phenomenon in Lichtenburg.

“Untreated sewage is even being discharged into Eeufees Dam in the centre of Lichtenburg,” the party said.

“The electrical infrastructure is in serious disrepair, and substations are frequently vandalised, resulting in power outages.”

Government buildings in Lichtenburg are also deteriorating rapidly, while some vacant buildings are being stripped piece by piece.

“The vacant buildings are particularly unsightly and serve as hideouts for criminals in the area,” the party added.

Basic services to residents, including processing and correcting municipal bills, have essentially collapsed.

The municipality cannot be reached by phone, and no feedback is provided to residents who have reported complaints.

Even emergency services in Lichtenburg and the surrounding area, such as the fire brigade, are barely operational.

Residents have to rely on assistance from the surrounding farming community to extinguish house fires and handle other emergencies.

“The municipal fire brigade’s excuse is simply that they do not have any diesel or water,” the Freedom Front Plus said.

The party said that after it highlighted these issues, De Wee undertook to raise them within the NCR and to provide feedback to the party by next Monday.

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Lichtenburg and Ditsobotla Local Municipality photos

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