DA Limpopo seeks intercession in municipalities’ water crisis

SEKHUKHUNE/MOPANI/VHEMBE – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo is calling for the intervention of the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, to intervene in Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Mopani district municipalities’ failure to provide water to communities.

The DA stated that Section 139 (7) of the Constitution mandates the national executive to intervene if the provincial executive is incapable or does not adequately exercise oversight on municipalities to maintain essential national standards.

According to the party, it is clear that Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu’s interventions are inadequate to turn around the distressed municipalities, specifically the district municipalities, who continuously fail to meet their constitutional obligation to provide water. The DA indicated that the department needs to do more than their current quarterly assessments.

Lindy Wilson, DA Limpopo Provincial spokesperson for CoGHSTA, said according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Limpopo has the highest number of households with no access to piped water at 20.5%, against the country’s average of 8.7%.

Wilson highlighted that a year ago, the South African Human Rights Commission presented its Limpopo Water Enquiry to CoGHSTA and indicated that none of the five district municipalities fully comply with the Water Services Act or Section 27 of the Constitution.

“MEC Makamu’s lacklustre political leadership over local government is sustaining the water crisis. The MEC is aware of the dodgy and unprocedural appointments at Sekhukhune district, the billions wasted on incomplete water projects, the water capture by syndicates that are causing tremendous hardships to residents and the 13 water supply systems in Sekhukhune that are under risk, and despite this, the district is yet to be placed under administration,” remarked Wilson.

She added that Makamu’s efforts to place Mopani district under administration after a rapid assessment report that focused on the state of affairs on key performance areas last year, was thwarted by Mayor Pule Shayi.

“Vhembe district has an unfunded budget and has been struggling to provide sufficient water to communities for well over a decade. The right to sufficient water is inseparable from several human rights and is an enabling right for the enjoyment of other human rights like dignity, health, food and education. We call on Minister Hlabisa’s intervention to afford the people of Limpopo these rights as it is clear that MEC Makamu is not up to the job,” concluded Wilson.