Desalination challenge for DA’s Maimane
OUTSPOKEN businesswoman Magda Wierzycka has challenged DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s claim that a large-scale desalination plant would cost up to R15-billion.
Maimane on Wednesday mentioned the prohibitive cost of desalination at a press conference‚ where he highlighted plans to avoid the possibility of a “Day Zero” in the city.
Wierzycka‚ chief executive officer of Sygnia‚ set in motion a lively debate when she joined a discussion on Wednesday afternoon about the cost of desalination on Twitter.
Maimane‚ who indicated that the cost of desalination would be 30% of the city’s budget‚ was challenged by one observer who pointed out: “The capital expenditure of such a venture would be spread out over time and wouldn’t be hit in a single year. Why are you lying Mr Maimane.”
Maimane tweeted with: “I said that desalination is expensive. Large scale facilities cost up to R15-billion [which is 1/3 of CPT’s annual budget]. No city can afford such facilities on its own. Especially when their provision is outside its legal mandate. Assistance would need to come from national government.”
The thread set in motion a robust debate.
Her response to Maimane’s explanation was: “I was quoted à120-million [about R1.8-billion] for a plant that would supply 100 000 000 litres per day. 11 months to construct. That is R1.8-billion. Double that for unexpected expenditure. SAA bail out was R10-billion. Please stop lying to us.”
André de Wet tweeted his response: “The @Our–DA‚ @helenzille and @MmusiMaimane are busy with the biggest own goal of all time. If @MYANC and @CyrilRamaphosa step in and save this thing in some way shape or form‚ 2019 is going to be very very interesting…”
Former tourism minister Derek Hanekom suggested Wierzycka should become premier of the drought-stricken province‚ or at least mayor of Cape Town.
“I am a business person. Trained to solve problems. No political aspirations whatsoever. But I care about Cape Town‚” replied Wierzycka.
DA spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme launched a counter-strike with a tweet accusing Wierzycka of “spreading disinformation and panic during a serious crisis”.
She flagged a tweet that pointed out that a large scale plant to supply the city properly was eight to 12 times the daily volume mentioned by Wierzycka. “I see @Magda–Wierzycka has not responded to this. Facts matter‚” she said.
Wierzycka has been an outspoken critic of corruption.
Her condemnation of state capture on Twitter has led to run-ins with businessman Mzwanele Manyi‚ who called her a racist and asked whether‚ because of her Polish origins‚ she was related to Janusz Walus‚ assassin of SACP leader Chris Hani. —