Message to businesses in a crumbling town: “You are on your own”

Businesses and residents Zeerust are forced to take matters into their own hands as deteriorating infrastructure and ongoing service delivery failures are unlikely to end.

The ongoing municipal problems drive travellers away, severely impacting local businesses and making survival difficult.

Zeerust is a small town in North West Province near the Botswana border and around 65 kilometres from Mahikeng.

Surrounded by lush Bushveld scenery, the town’s economy relies on mixed farming, lead and chrome mining, and tourism.

However, service delivery problems have plagued the area, which has resulted in much of the town crumbling in front of everyone’s eyes.

Recently, BusinessTech travelled to the small border town and was confronted with the harsh realities of everyday living for residents.

Speaking to residents and businesses, it was apparent that they face severe service delivery problems due to mismanagement at the municipal level.

Issues include a malfunctioning sewage treatment plant polluting water sources, poor road conditions, inadequate waste collection, and inconsistent water and electricity supply.

These failures decimated local businesses and crippled tourism, leading to widespread economic hardship, with residents struggling to meet even the most basic needs.

One of the most significant issues cited is the failing wastewater treatment plant, which has been malfunctioning despite millions of rands in investments.

Untreated effluent is released into the Kareespruit River and Klein Marikou Dam, contaminating vital water sources, causing spillages in the streets, and decimating the town’s once-popular tourism industry.

Long-time resident and hospitality business owner Hennie Pretorius explained, “Zeerust was a very attractive little town, especially the rivers and the dam.”

“It attracted a lot of tourists for boating, fishing, all that. That doesn’t happen anymore,” he added.

The smell of raw sewage poses health risks to residents and hurts local businesses. Patrons often complain about it, leading to a significant loss of customers and impacting the local economy.

“When you lose a customer, they are likely lost for good,” said Pretorius.

Residents are also experiencing frequent water and power outages, with some areas without water for as long as eight months. Due to aged and unmaintained infrastructure, prolonged outages are common.

“Please come and tell us when load-shedding is over,” remarked street hawker Nomsa.

Adding to the burden, refuse collection is unreliable, forcing residents to dump their own rubbish, even though they pay for the service. The streets are seen as another option for those who do not take it to the dump.

The infrastructure challenges extend to the roads, which are riddled with potholes and overgrowth, making transportation difficult for businesses, tourists and residents alike.

Zeerust’s deterioration has led to numerous service delivery protests, including a recent one where all entrances and exits to the town were blocked.

“We’ve seen what it was, and we see what it is now. It’s heartbreaking,” said Pretorius.

Residents and businesses have attempted to mitigate the devastating impact by having their own septic and water tanks and solar panels or generators, but these costly interventions often prove insufficient.

Additionally, residents and businesses have said that they continuously reach out to local government for support, but to little or no avail.

The municipality, with an appetite for capital projects over maintenance, is struggling with a dwindling population paying for services and an overinflated municipal structure.

This leaves very little funding for essential services and infrastructure development, exacerbated by a historical lack of investment in expanding the networks.

Many residents and businesses have had no option but to leave town, seen by countless abandoned buildings.

Pretorius echoed this, saying that many of the people and businesses he had known his entire life had packed up and left town. Despite his love and connection to the town, this move is not off the cards for him.

“If I can get rid of all my stuff here, I will be leaving,” said the family man and business owner.

The residents of Zeerust are facing a bleak future unless urgent action is taken to address the failing infrastructure and service delivery issues.

The town’s decline is a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting basic needs and the importance of effective local governance.

Interview with resident Hennie Pretorius

Images from around Zeerust