Pretoria, Gauteng — Tshwane Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise has strongly denied allegations linking him to water tanker companies, firing back at Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink. The heated exchange centers on water tanker allegations and unpaid municipal invoices, with Modise accusing Brink of neglecting Mamelodi residents and leaving millions in unpaid debts during his tenure.
During a recent interview, Modise addressed the ongoing political controversy, stating that Brink harbors a deep personal animosity toward him. Modise claimed he was instrumental in Brink’s removal, having previously approached ActionSA President Herman Mashaba and other coalition partners. He alleged that Brink operated with a racist agenda, prioritizing service delivery only to affluent, white areas while ignoring marginalized communities.
To counter the allegations against him, Modise presented what he described as empirical evidence regarding municipal finances. He accused Brink of leaving R179 million in unpaid invoices for water tanker services that were essential for residents. Modise further clarified that R156 million was allocated for critical reservoir maintenance, and an additional R84 million was paid as a result of a court-mandated water supply. He vehemently denied that any of these funds were stolen from the city, insisting the payments were legitimate and necessary.
Modise also highlighted the severe water crisis in Mamelodi, alleging that residents went four years without clean running water under Brink’s leadership. He claimed Brink refused assistance from the national government, specifically citing Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy Minister David Masondo, who were willing to intervene. Modise noted that Brink only visited Mamelodi after casualties and fatalities had already occurred. Since the current administration took power in October, Modise stated that the city successfully addressed the reservoir disruptions, restoring clean running water to the area.
When pressed about past allegations linking him to security companies doing business with the city, Modise admitted he was once shortlisted and awarded a contract. However, he maintained that he formally resigned and extricated himself from the companies before receiving any personal benefit. He promised to provide court judgments and his official resignation date as proof, denying that his name appears in the companies’ books as a director or a recipient of funds.
Modise dismissed Brink’s claims regarding R95 million and an individual or entity named “Rams,” stating he has no association with them. He accused Brink of spreading lies to cover up his own failure to pay black-owned companies on time. Furthermore, Modise clarified that the city utilizes an advanced Purchase Order (PO) system, making it impossible for payments to be processed without proper authorization, thereby debunking claims of irregular spending.
Addressing current infrastructure challenges, Modise acknowledged the intermittent water and electricity supply affecting Tshwane residents. He explained that two substations burned down over the past three weeks, including the critical Nala substation, which supplies up to 66% of the inner city. The loss of power at Nala has directly impacted the electrical pumps required to distribute water.
Additionally, Modise pointed to severe operational issues at the Bronkhorstspruit water treatment plant. While the national government has provided a 50-million-liter-per-day package plant to assist, the city is struggling with an aging water network, illegal connections, and contamination. Modise noted that the Bronkhorstspruit plant suffered from long-term neglect, and replacement components for its discontinued pumps are difficult to source. Despite these setbacks, he assured residents that the city is actively investing in the infrastructure to ensure a reliable supply of clean running water.
