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The Economic Freedom Fighters in KwaZulu-Natal notes with appallment the recent findings by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) which reveal that most municipalities in the province and Water Services Authorities (WSAs), have violated residents’ rights to access to clean drinking water.

While we share the same concerns with our people on the ground who have been victimized and betrayed by the ANC-led government for quite a while now, these findings came out at a very pivotal moment of our not so young anymore democracy, as we prepare to oust the ruling party in the 2024 general elections.

These findings are also a true reflection of what the ruling party has been subjecting us to since assuming power in 1994 which includes corruption,  self-enrichment, deceit and depriving our people of basic services like water as it is in this case.

It is quite alarming to note that in 2019 the provincial government launched the “Operation Khawuleza” campaign which was aimed at accelerating service delivery by attending to immediate infrastructure needs affecting communities,  to date nothing much has been done as we still have communities who have not seen a drop of water for  over five years now, as they continue to share water from rivers with animals which is the most inhumane act ever.

While the ongoing water problems in the province may be attributed to droughts and ageing infrastructure,  most of it can be attributed to cadre deployment, lack of oversight,  lack of consequence management, looting of state funds, lack of commitment from WSAs.

As a government in waiting the provision of clean and adequate water is a crucial basic service and a basic human right, hence we support the SAHRC’s call for Treasury to review their funding models by allocating a special grant to effect upgrades and rehabilitation of critical water projects, and to also put all those municipalities who fail to deliver water under administration.

Issued by The EFF in KZN