DA requests SAHRC to investigate water crisis in Qunu, EC
26 February 2014
Note to Editors: These are remarks made by the DA Shadow Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nosimo Balindlela MP following an oversight visit to Qunu in the Eastern Cape today.
The DA will today lay a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) regarding re-occurring water shortages, contaminated drinking water and collapsing water infrastructure in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape.
Many of the residents I spoke to today expressed their outrage and disappointment in government. Houses, schools, clinics, small businesses and local industries have been left with no running water.
Residents in Qunu informed me that their taps regularly run dry, leaving them with no other choice but to collect water from a nearby spring, shared by livestock. Residents queue from as early as 5am in the morning for the opportunity to fill up their buckets.
There are sweet wrappers, condoms, cow dung, papers and green algae in this water. I challenge the Mayor of this municipality, Nonkoliso Mgqongwa, to come and drink this water.
It is heart-breaking how President Nelson Mandela's legacy is being undermined in his home village in such a dehumanizing way for residents.
Our Constitution makes it clear that each and every South African has a fundamental human right to have access to water.
But in Qunu, local water pipelines have not been maintained due to the municipality neglecting its duty to appoint qualified engineers for this task.
According to the Auditor General's latest report on King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, which governs Qunu, "no actions were taken to address this priority challenge".
Instead, it seems that the ANC-run council are filling their pockets and have forgotten the people of Madiba's home village.
In the last financial year, R1.2 billion in unauthorised expenditure was incurred, with a further R330 million lost to fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
The people of Qunu deserve better. We trust that the SAHRC will investigate and recommend appropriate action.
The DA will continue to undertake rigorous oversight visits to communities across the country to assess the impact of the water crisis our nation faces. We will identify hotspots, report them to the relevant authorities and follow up to ensure that remedial action is taken.
Statement issued by Nosimo Balindlela MP, DA Shadow Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation, February 26 2015
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