DA cannot shift the blame on Tshwane water crisis
7 October 2021
While the water woes in the City of Tshwane remain unabated, the DA-led government administration fails to take responsibility for this crisis and has resorted to shifting the blame to Rand Water. Despite the City of Tshwane’s “Ghost Mayor”, Cllr Randall Williams’ attempts to spin-doctor his way out of the DA-led water crisis in the area, it is evident that residents are denied access to uninterrupted potable water and his administration has done nothing to solve the matter.
The dismal handling of Tshwane’s water crisis has demonstrated how the DA continues to show residents the middle finger. The people of Hammanskraal know this treatment well. The water in Hammanskraal is patently unsafe for human consumption and contains traces of faeces. To this day, the City has not put forward a coherent plan to address the deplorable situation faced by these residents. In April this year, ActionSA commissioned an independent community-led inquiry into the Hammanskraal water crisis. In its report, the Commission of Inquiry found that the City of Tshwane was insensitive and irresponsive to the plight of the community. Further, Cllr Williams and his administration were marked by delinquent inertia on this 16-year-old water crisis. Indeed, Williams refused to even meet with the community on the issue.
The inquiry found that it was the City and not Rand Water who failed to adequately address this long-standing issue that has existed for over 16 years.
It is clear that despite trying to shift the blame to Rand Water, by its own admission in its annual report, the DA-led City of Tshwane cannot handle water supply and maintenance faults. According to the most current report, material water losses of R988,88 million were incurred, which represents 30,2% of the total water purchased.
It is therefore disingenuous for the DA-led government in Tshwane to act as if they are innocent bystanders in this crisis.
A month ago, residents of Laudium took to the streets to protest after they went for weeks without water. Shortly after that, residents of Soshanguve suffered the same fate for weeks on end.
It is a fact that the water crisis affects all residents of the city, from Hammanskraal to Laudium to Soshanguve, no Tshwane resident is spared.
Hundreds of people in Townships continue to stand in unending queues to get water from unreliable water tankers.
ActionSA believes the matter can be resolved, it only requires a political will.
If the annual report is anything to go by, the DA-led administration has failed dismally to control the water losses which negatively impacted on uninterrupted water supply. The administration has failed to provide leadership on this crisis but instead opted to focus on shifting the blame.
ActionSA Government will work to find lasting solutions to the water crisis in the city, we will prioritise the investment into the building and upgrading water infrastructure within the City so that residents can have access to their safe and clean water.
Issued by Abel Tau, Tshwane Mayoral Candidate, ActionSA, 7 October 2021
