The deaths of three people in Mothotlung, near Brits, this week, when police took action to quell protests against water-supply disruptions, were unnecessary and tragic.
Water problems in the area, which is governed by the Madibeng municipality, go back to at least 2010, when reports emerged that water was not being purified regularly. According to the DA, Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, who was premier of North West at the time, was apprised of the brewing crisis then.
This week it emerged that the government knew as early as last year about allegations of deliberate tampering with the water supply in Madibeng - three pumps at the local water treatment plant had ''broken down'' at the same time - which necessitated water being transported to Mothotlung and other areas by tankers.
After this week's killings - two protesters were shot dead by the police and a third died after either jumping off, or being pushed from, a speeding police Nyala - the national government quickly took action. President Jacob Zuma ordered the military to be on standby to supply water to affected areas while the water-supply infrastructure was being repaired.
Variations of the events at Mothotlung have been repeated time and again in myriad service-delivery protests around the country - the authorities fail to do their job properly, people take to the streets and the bigwigs in Pretoria appear to be galvanised into action only when there is extensive damage to property or loss of life.
There have been around 3000 such protests in the past four years and endless auditor-general's reports about the failings of local governments.
How many more Bekkersdals, Balfours Ficksburgs and Mothotlungs do we have to endure before the central government sorts out the local government mess and devises far more proactive and rapid interventions to head off crises in the making?
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