Residents of Gauteng are turning their eyes toward the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for potential solutions to the ongoing water challenges and corrupt practices that have affected service delivery in their communities.
The urgency of the situation was underscored at last week’s public hearings, which captured the testimonies of community members and organisations, grappling with the daily realities of inadequate water supply.
On Thursday, during the hearings, Dr Henk Boshoff, a commissioner with the SAHRC, articulated a commitment to amplify the voices of affected communities in an upcoming report. This pledge has rekindled hope among those who have felt marginalised.
The public hearings, which took place from May 19 to 21, were triggered by prolonged water outages in several areas, including Sophiatown, Selby, Fochville, Coronationville, Westbury, Soweto, Randburg, Bryanston, Lenasia’s Phumla Mqashi and Dobsonville, among others.
Boshoff, who is expected to finalise his report in four months, in his closing remarks, stated that vandalism, economic sabotage, and failure to deliver services to residents will not go unnoticed in his report, adding that widespread vandalism should be treated as outright terrorism and a crime against the state.
“I have persuaded the panel that we include a recommendation in our reports that law enforcement should prioritise or declare the sabotage of municipal infrastructure as a priority crime. The Hawks must get involved because organised crime is taking place,” he stated.
Critically, Boshoff pointed to the systemic issues surrounding water tankers, underscoring how a culture of patronage has negatively impacted the provision of essential services.
“Now, we know that sometimes there are compulsory water cuts and maintenance that have to be conducted by Rand Water, and that water tankering might be required. But the extent of theft, in our view… municipalities are being robbed by providing water tankering.”
The public hearings have coincided with the announcement of a planned maintenance programme between Rand Water and Eskom, scheduled to run from May 29 to June 2.
Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo recently assured residents of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni who are expected to experience low pressure and temporary water interruptions during this time.
“Some areas will be impacted differently. Some areas will have low water pressure. Other areas will have intermittent water supply for a couple of hours. So, we have communicated with municipalities, and we have requested them to share information with the residents,” he stated.
SAHRC spokesperson, Wisani Baloyi on Tuesday said that the commission is determined to ensure that the final report reflects the inputs made by civil society at large.
“SAHRC takes the submissions it has received seriously and will analyse all the submissions to formulate pointed findings and recommendations. However, the testimony and evidence received by the SAHRC points to systemic challenges, such as the inextricable link between water and advancement of other human rights, the hollowing out of technical capacity in some municipalities, and the capture of water tankering for profit-making.”
Buti Elliot Mtembu, speaking on behalf of the residents of Fochville, whose water challenges forced them to take to the streets of the city centre last October, stated that the One Merafong Organisation (OMO) remains concerned by the R700, 000 monthly contract on water tanker service providers.
“While we acknowledge the importance of addressing water shortages and access to clean water for our communities, we believe that a cautious and vigilant approach is necessary. We will observe and await further developments. We expect decisive action to be taken to root out corruption in Merafong municipality,” said Mtembu.
Simphiwe Zwane, representing the community of Phumla Mqashi, near Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, remains hopeful that civil society submissions last week, will result in improved service delivery for the affected communities.
“We will be keeping a close eye on the report. We are grateful for the opportunity of having been invited to share our challenges,” she stated.
Siyabonga Sithole
iol.co.za
