SAMWU disturbed by planned water cuts by the DWS
28 November 2017
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union SAMWU has learnt with disappointment the plans by the Department of Water and Sanitation to cut off water supply to over 30 municipalities, an evil plan which would essentially leave millions of South Africans without water which is by the way a basic right.
It is very disappointing that Nomvula Mokonyane, the Minister of Water and Sanitation as someone who has ambitions of being in the national leadership of ANC could hatch such a plan without taking into consideration the ramifications particularly on the working class and the poor.
We understand that the country is facing water crisis, we are however of the view that this water crisis has been engineered particularly by the Department of Water and Sanitation under the leadership of Mokonyane who has deliberately delayed the Lesotho Highlands Water Project allegedly so her cronies can benefit from some of the contracts.
This is the same department which owes billions of rands to contractors and has shown no commitment to paying those contractors essentially leaving workers without a paycheck. This is also the same department which has failed to release the Blue and Green Reports for the last 5 years, also disadvantaging workers who get incentives for achieving the results.