The Department of Water and Sanitation, should claim the space and fulfil its mandate as the custodian of water and sanitation in South Africa. The department is in no way fulfilling its vision, mission or values so profoundly published. It is also not complying with implementation relating to the functions of the National Water Act hence all our puddles, streams, rivers and dams became toxic sewer polluted ponds.
The department has a long and sordid history of failures. In 2012, Minister Edna Molewa red-flagged water in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality as not fit for human consumption. This status has never been lifted to date. In 2014, the DA had to apply for a PAIA to release the Blue and Green Drop Report confirming the complete failure of the water management structure in South Africa.
In 2014, 35 young children died in Itekeng and Agisanang consuming contaminated water. Walking through those areas recently confirmed conditions had deteriorated significantly and human dignity
is seen as meaningless.
The lack of political will, appointment of untrained, unskilled employees, financial mismanagement, lack of management skills, poor financial discipline and controls and lack of maintenance in municipalities has caused extensive damage to infrastructure; with broken pumps, stolen cables, failed water augmentation projects resulting in dry reservoirs, dry taps and disgruntled people.
I know this to be true because I was there, taking water into Phelindaba at 11pm at night to assist a mother with a hungry baby. She had formula but no water, mealie meal but no pap, thirsty children and no ANC leaders making a plan. Phelindaba ward 10 in Tswaing has had no water since 2003 even
though 1000 RDP houses were built with flush toilets.
Sannieshof Delareyville en Ottosdal is meer sonder water as met water in die krane. Water lekkasies veroorsaak dat strate riviere word en krane wind uitblaas. Nie vir ‘n paar uur nie….selfs vir solank as 200 dae waarin nie die Burgemeester of die Munisipale Bestuurder een keer enige van hierdie areas
besoek het om hulle te vergewis van die impak van geen diens nie. I know because I was there and for 4 months I ran a water crisis centre with a humble 80 000 litre storing capacity, assisting people subjected to the most inhumane conditions which is withholding a basic human need from them.
The impact on the economy of embattled Premier Supra Mahumapelo’s “small dorpies” can be clearly seen when businesses depending on water to deliver services cannot operate, with some closing down.
Matshella Pad, RDP Delareyville, Khunwana, Vrischgewaagt and most villages in Tswaing are daily, weekly and monthly without water with Tswaing, Ngaka Modiri Molema District or Sedibeng Water not acknowledging any accountability.
Lichtenburg het ernstige water tekorte sedert 2012. Die impak op besighede en industriee het reeds onvervangbare skade aan die ekonomie verrig. Net een van die groot maatskappye verloor R1 miljoen per dag agv onvoldoende water in die verwerking van melk produkte.
I have been to Setlagole and Madibogo, where people dig deep pits in the dry Setlagole river bed and lower 4-year-old children to the bottom to harvest seepage water in buckets pulled up to the surface
when full.
The 2012 Vryburg Pudumong Pipeline of Sedibeng and Dr Ruth Mompati District fails its function due to infrastructural incompliance pumping 6 million litres of water per day to Vryburg but receiving 1 million. 5 million litres irrigates the fields. An average of 30 uncontrolled leakages on low quality pipes accommodate the “manga manga” business of pre-paid “tjotjo” to ANC cadres.
Senior Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) officials visited Sannieshof last week, declaring the town to be an environmental disaster with sewerage flooding the whole town. This is as a result of the non-payment of the service provider since last year, which has forced him to stop.
The Department needs urgent and aggressive interventions.
To quote Wystan Hugh Auden, “Thousands have lived without love, but not one without water.”