GP Water Crisis: ANC blocks water delivery
01 October 2014
Today, in Tsakane, DA efforts to deliver water in multiple water tankers to people still living without water was viciously blocked by the ANC.
Due to nothing short of political violence by ANC members, we were not able to deliver water to residents who cannot cook, clean and take care of the elderly and young, as a result of the water crisis.
Residents of Tsakane told me that Minister Nomvula Mokonyane is dreaming when she says water has been restored in all parts of this province.
Just like when she was Premier, she has sold the people of Gauteng half-truths. The taps in Tsakane are dry.
Minister Mokonyane does not care about what is happening in many parts of Gauteng. She has missed meetings, where she was supposed to account for the crisis. She is only concerned with protecting President Zuma; not delivering services.
I was in Tsakane five days ago, and still today the people remain without water.
Today the Democratic Alliance brought in tankers of drinking water to supply this community with water and restore a certain level of dignity.
It is our constitutional right to have access to water, and the DA tried to ensure that this right is violated no more, by a government out of touch with the people of Tsakane and Gauteng. But this could not happen, because the ANC chose to put politics before the delivery of services.
The fact is that maintenance of our key infrastructure is sorely lacking. Our infrastructure is crumbling, and nothing is being done to arrest the disaster.
Yes, we see roads upgraded in Gauteng, but then this government comes after us with unconscionable e-tolls that no one in South Africa asked for. They use e-tolling as a cover for better infrastructure, while they let current infrastructure crumble into ruin.
We face an electricity crisis, which could have been prevented, yet only once the crisis is killing jobs and stagnating our economy do we see action. And that action is an irrational Nuclear Deal with results to be seen only in 12 years from now.
It seems that the plan of this government is to wait for disaster after disaster before acting to solve problems that clearly exist.
The ANC today runs away from the truth: it is failing the people of South Africa.
Election 2016 will be won and lost on the vast difference in the record of service delivery between the ANC and the DA. Let this example of a Gauteng water crisis be a warning to South Africa of what more of the same from the ANC will deliver.
It is clear that the ANC will do everything in the power to block efforts to help people affected by the failings of the ANC government.
Minister Mokonyane, take responsibility, take action, or step aside.
Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, October 1 2014
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