The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is working with the police on the matter of the vandalism of water infrastructure in the Madibeng Local Municipality.

Following the violent public protests in Madibeng earlier this year, where the issue of water supply and accessibility was sharply raised, there was suspicion of vandalism of water infrastructure by “people who were bent on sabotaging the work of government and in the same vein denying the community its right to access to the vital resource of water,” the DWA said in a statement.

A number of people have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in vandalism of water infrastructure. One of the arrested is a councillor in the area.

Minister of Water Affairs, Edna Molewa, says she is pleased that the root cause of some of the lack of services to communities, not due to a lack of effort or money from government, will come to light. She says she hopes for a speedy resolution to this matter.