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DA: Statement by Carín Visser, Democratic Alliance Caucus Leader, Delareyville Water crisis contravenes Republic of South Africa's constitution (29/08/2014)

DA: Statement by Carín Visser, Democratic Alliance Caucus Leader, Delareyville Water crisis contravenes Republic of South Africa's constitution (29/08/2014)

29th August 2014

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The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa as well the United Nations Human Rights Charter states that Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and therefore a basic human right, unfortunately  
Delareyville is without water for the 5th consecutive day due to another bulk water interruption this year.  
 
It became the norm week after week – to live without water.
 
A water project should have ended the bulk water shortage in this country town on the 22nd July 2013 when water would have been pumped from new boreholes, drilled 20 km West from Delareyville.   
 
This water should have satisfied consumer demand on a daily basis 5 year ahead of the IDP.  But - between the District, Tswaing and Eskom something went wrong causing the bulk water supply shortage now reached disaster level for the residents of this town.
 
This continuous daily absence of water, negatively impacts on the day to day residential life as well as on businesses that depends on water supply to deliver services.
 
Chapter 7 of the Constitution sets out the functions and powers of local government.  Section 153 (a)  provides that a municipality must structure and manage its administration and budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community of which water should be a priority.  
 
The District as the Water Authority and Tswaing as the Water Service Provider with some kind of failed Service Level Agreement between them not worthy of the paper that it is written on, do not take reasonable measures to realise these rights.  
Constitutionally they govern with non-compliance regarding their statutory obligations.
 
Residential homes and businesses are withheld from access to adequate water to sustain normal life.  
 
No disaster relief management is available to assist residents during constant and lengthy bulk water interruptions.  
 
No emergency plan or contact is available in a state of disaster within this community.  They simply switch-off their phones.
 
No communication exists regarding the crisis from the Tswaing Municipality to the community on a regular basis, updating the consumer with valid and true reasons stating the cause and the period of the interruption.
 
Apparently the current water interruption is due to non-payment of Eskom accounts.  
 
Electricity supply was disconnected to 28 service points mainly boreholes, high mast lights or waste water treatment plants.  
 
Why are some of the accounts overdue for 12 months or more?
 
Why do some accounts receive regular payments and reflect large credit balances?
 
Why does a municipality pay the Eskom account of a Land Reform Farm as well as the electricity of an employee’s residence?
 
Tswaing Municipality as well as the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in their respective capacities are not equipped to handle disaster of this kind or in any way assist consumers within their statutory obligations to deliver services concerning constitutional human rights.
 
It beats me that despite full knowledge of the crisis, neither Tswaing, the District nor the NW Provincial Government tried to resolve whatever caused this project not to be completed yet.
 
Instead, they continue to infringe the Constitutional Human Rights to all the citizens staying here.
 
The DA will continue to expose the infringement of the Rights of All its citizens wherever and whenever it happens.
 

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