SA Human Rights Commission finds that severely water-stressed communities are forced to survive without access to safe drinking water instead find alternatives in streams, rivers and lakes writes Lerato Seerane
The SA Human Rights Commission has found that all Water Services Authorities (WSAs) in the province are not in compliance with the Water Services Act and are not meeting compulsory standards.
The province’s four district municipalities and six local municipalities, namely Polokwane, Mookgopong-Modimolle local municipality, Thabazimbi, Bela-Bela, Lephalale, and Mogalakwena, do not comply with the Water Services Act and mandatory standards.
The Water Services Act provides for the right of access to basic water supply and the right to basic sanitation necessary to secure sufficient water and an environment not harmful to human health or well-being.
In October 2021, the SAHRC held an inquiry into access to water and the efficacy of water services authorities in the Limpopo following “an increasingly concerning number of complaints received from members of the public regarding their lack of access to water.” The SAHRC released its report recently.
“In Limpopo for the financial year 2021/2022 municipalities spent a combined R606 million on repairs and maintenance which presents 1.8 % of the value of the total infrastructure assets and as you know the National Treasury said it’s 8% but here, we find that municipalities are spending 1.8 % meaning that they are not really setting aside sufficient funds,” said Peacemore Mhodi, research advisor.
Increasing complaints relating to the challenges of sufficient access to water in various districts in Limpopo province remain a significant challenge compromising residents’ health and well-being.
Several areas in Limpopo are severely water-stressed, forcing communities to survive without access to safe drinking water instead forcing them to find alternatives for water in streams, rivers, and lakes. As water difficulties worsen, these vulnerable populations continue to suffer greatly.
Residents in several areas of Limpopo where water shortages have been severe say their villages have been without water for years, and how their communities share water with domestic animals, endangering human health and well-being. Even communities that are close to water sources face a lack of access to safe drinking water.
The SAHRC indicated that the various Water Services Authorities (WSAs) have violated resident’s right to access sufficient water supply. The authority also found that oversight departments have taken no remedial action.
Limpopo SAHRC provincial manager Victor Mavhidula warned that the report “should indicate to relevant stakeholders and Water Services Authorities that the commission takes the matter seriously and that if they do not comply with the plans recommended and do not submit their plans of action, there will be consequences.”
Mavhidula said the findings in the report showed that in more areas such as the Sekhukhune area, a large part of communities are severely affected by the shortage of water.
“The water challenges in Limpopo have come to a point where people especially in the rural areas fetch water from wells, rivers and streams and share the same water with animals,” Mavhidula said.
“The maximum period for people to be without water in their community is seven days but in Limpopo many of the areas that we talked about proved to have been living without access to clean drinking water for years,” he said.
He said that in 2021 when the department of water and sanitation returned R40 billion back to treasury, “we were shocked because many areas under the district and local municipalities were and are still without access to water.”
“Water services authorities cannot be complaining that aging infrastructure is a factor to preventing water supply to communities while we have a water service grant that municipalities can apply for to fix and maintain the infrastructure,” he said.
In May minister of water and sanitation Senzo Mchunu acknowledged in his budget vote speech that “many municipalities are in a downward spiral of poor and declining water services, reducing payment, increasing debt, and low investment.”
“The key cause of the decline is poor governance and ineffective management in municipalities. Weak billing and revenue collection at municipal level is resulting in escalating debts across the water value chain,” Mchunu said.
He said to address this downward spiral government needs to ensure that water services are provided by professionally managed, capable, efficient, and financially viable institutions.
Mavhidula said the report should indicate to relevant stakeholders and Water Services Authorities that the commission takes the matter seriously, and should they not comply with plans recommended and if they do not submit their plans of action, there will be consequences.
Municipalities around the province are expected to provide the commission with a detailed plan with time frames within three months. Should the municipalities fail to submit, actions will be taken by the commission. – news@mukurukuru.co.za
