Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has been asked to set up an independent commission of inquiry with a view to investigate the systematic failures within Rand Water, that has been blamed for ongoing water supply disruptions in some parts of Gauteng.
The call was made by the DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga yesterday during a protest in Pretoria, where party supporters marched to water and sanitation department offices to deliver a memorandum of demands.
Part of the memorandum called for Mchunu to dismiss the water utility chief executive Sipho Mosai for failing to fulfil the obligations and responsibilities entrusted to him.
“There is no need to give him a performance assessment as the end of his contract draws near, dry taps are indicative enough of his performance,” the memo said.
It further noted that in parts of Gauteng, like Johannesburg South and Emfuleni, residents were left without water for months on end.
“While it might be easy to argue that these are solely due to municipal failures, the truth of the matter is that these communities should be fed from Rand Water. We demand immediate measures be taken to restore uninterrupted access to clean and safe for all residents of Gauteng,” said the memorandum.
Msimanga said concerned citizens, DA representatives and community leaders united to march and deliver a memorandum of demands to Mchunu, emphasising the urgent need for immediate action to address water supply challenges in Gauteng.
“Under the current government, systemic failures persist, leading South Africans to adapt to living without electricity and, due to their shortcomings, now facing the prospect of living without water,” he said.
“Our demands include establishing a Commission of Inquiry into systematic failings at Rand Water, the immediate dismissal of the chief executive, and swift measures to rectify ongoing issues. We stand firm in advocating for accountability and transparency, insisting that those responsible for the unacceptable conditions faced by residents are held accountable.
“Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, and persistent failures in providing this basic necessity are intolerable,” Msimanga said.
Pretoria News
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za