Mr President, install new water infrastructure, not new jobs for ANC

28 August 2015

The launch by President Jacob Zuma today of the War on Leaks campaign in Nelson Mandela Bay smacks of pure electioneering by President Zuma and the ANC. The launch was an ANC rally, where ANC t-shirts were distributed, prayers were said for the success of the ANC and speeches were made about ANC electoral outcomes.

President Zuma used the launch of the War on Leaks campaign, to campaign instead for the ANC.

Today’s ANC electioneering-at-state-expense, shows how a work creation project has been commandeered for political purposes.

The ANC culture of using ad-hoc work programmes to dish out jobs to pals must be condemned. Every community member in need of work should have a fair chance to get a job in this program. The very first appointments should be those who need work at the site of water issues.

I will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, Mlungisi Johnson, to request that at the next sitting of the committee the Department briefs the committee on the “War on Leaks” and the process followed to select the thousands of new trainees. The process must be transparent and fair.

Instead of employing ANC supporters to monitor and fix taps, a DA government would address water losses in the country through upgrading our entire water infrastructure. The DA would:

Implement a water pipeline replacement programme expedited where leakages are worst; 

Set up a 24 hour call centre, which dispatches repair teams that would fix burst pipes and leakages around the clock;

Install special pressure-reducing valves at key points in water network in order to reduce water pressure in designated water zones; 

Legislate the use of non-potable water for irrigation in all municipalities in the country;

Install water allocation devices, which ensure that indigent homes use their free allocation;

Make use of existing pipeline camera technology that detects leaks and faulty water pipes; 

Provide better free-allocation of water, to avoid illegal water connections;

Ensure that every municipality sets up a system whereby leaking pipes are completely replaced after a set number of complaints by residents, not simply patched up and maintained;

Implement Gravity Feed water supply, and install generators at water pumps to circumvent load shedding water cuts;

Implement punitive tariffs for businesses that overuse water, after negotiated limits are agreed to; and

Increase mobile water tanker fleets, afforded by immediate cuts in wasteful and fruitless expenditure.

“War on Leaks” has shown its true colours today as an ANC vote-winning program.

This plan is not going to fix the root cause of water losses in the country, nor will it fix unemployment through sustainable jobs.

The DA has a plan and we want to deliver this plan to more and more South Africans in order to cut water losses and ensure water security in our country. 

Statement issued by Leon Basson MP, DA Deputy Shadow Minister of Water and Sanitation, August 28 2015