DA in Eastern Cape slams Makana Municipality water crisis – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has described the water crisis facing residents of Makana Municipality in Makhanda, as a violation of their basic human rights. This as South Africa is marking Human Rights Day.

The DA has held a protest outside the Makana Municipality offices over the lack of water supply.

Over the years the municipality has been struggling to provide consistent water supply citing aging infrastructure, high demand and drought.

Currently the municipality has implemented water rationing, as Howiesons Poort Dam, the main raw water source is nearing full extraction.

“We chose Human Rights Day to commemorate this important day and our access to human rights and to highlight that many of the people of Makhanda, most of them black and poor, do not have access to basic services in order to give them the dignity that they need to access those human rights and to feel that they live the life of meaning that is part of our constitution. So that is the significance of today,” says DA Provincial Leader Andrew Whitfield.

Attempts to get comment from the municipality have been unsuccessful. Locals say they have been without water for three weeks.

One of the affected residents is 56-year-old Verna Van Louw, who is forced to use a water tank or walk long distances to get water.

“So, I must go four or five times to fetch the water to do my laundry and by the time I must do the laundry, I’m so tired. You see now, I’m doing the laundry with my hands because there isn’t enough water for my washing machine. My arms are in pain from doing the laundry with my hands.”

 



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