DA Limpopo calls for action to address Limpopo Water Crisis
SEKHUKHUNE
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo raised concerns about the province’s dire water crisis, with Lindy Wilson, DA Provincial Spokesperson for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), calling for immediate action to address the issue.
Wilson said this call for action comes after the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found in 2023 that all 10 WSAs in Limpopo were non-compliant with the Water Services Act and Compulsory Standards.
The Commission also noted that the Department of COGHSTA, the Office of the Premier, and the National Department of Water and Sanitation failed in their oversight responsibilities.
According to Wilson, Limpopo’s 10 Water Service Authorities (WSAs) are in major distress, with a staggering 42% vacancy rate in critical positions.
“Of the 4059 posts required at our WSA’s, 1711 are vacant. This shortage of skilled personnel is compounded by financial woes, with six of the 10 municipalities in which the WSAs are vested facing financial distress,” she said.
Wilson indicated that this human resources skills and capacity crisis in the WSA’s are compounded by the fact that 6 of the 10 municipalities, in which the WSA’s are vested, are in financial distress.
“The municipalities are Mopani, Vhembe and Sekhukhune Districts, as well as Thabazimbi, Modimolle-Mookgophong and Mokgalakwena Local Municipalities. Sekhukhune is the only district municipality with a funded budget; the unfunded four districts cannot indicate how they will fund their expenses and have ineffective billing systems,” she said.
Wilson informed that the situation is further exacerbated by incomplete bulk infrastructure projects, with remnants of abandoned projects scattered across the province.
“Remnants of incomplete bulk infrastructure projects are strewn across the province with 24 new, but incomplete projects implemented since 2023,” Wilson noted.
She added that the DA is particularly concerned about the lack of access to piped water in Limpopo households, with 20.5% of households lacking access to this basic service, compared to the national average of 8.7%.
“It is clear that the ANC government in Limpopo does not have the capacity, nor the will to save our communities from the indignant suffering of a life without water,” Wilson said.
The DA is calling on the MEC for COGHSTA, Basikopo Makamu, to submit corrective action plans with binding timelines to address the collapse of water infrastructure in the province.
“We demand that the MEC takes immediate action to address the water crisis in Limpopo,” Wilson emphasized.
