ActionSA leadership in Limpopo has stated that it will be lodging a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the Polokwane local municipality officials in relation to the contaminated water crisis.
This comes after a widespread community outcry over the water, which the residents claim is contaminated.
As the crisis escalated, ActionSA’s member of parliament, Malebo Kobe, said on Tuesday that the issue at hand was very concerning, as she accused the mayor of Polokwane, John Mpe and the municipal manager, Lavhelesani Nemugumoni, of neglecting their duties during the critical time when residents find themselves having to deal with contaminated water.
Oversight visit
Kobe said the area affected badly is Seshego township outside Polokwane. She said that many people had to get medical attention due to illness.
“We did an oversight visit on Monday, and at that time the mayor and the city manager were not on duty. This left scores of residents to drink contaminated water. The mayor just came back today after we did our oversight visit. This is concerning — to have our people being left with contaminated water while the municipality’s leadership is on leave. It’s completely wrong for such to have happened,” said Kobe.
She pointed out that the crisis has escalated to even deaths of some of the people in the area. And she claimed that those who lost their lives had ingested the contaminated water.
ActionSA had initially released a statement last year on December 22. The party had to seek urgent action and independent investigations into the Seshego water quality crisis. However, Kobe said that the demands were met with hostilities by the municipality’s officials. She accused them of not doing anything and instead took leave from work.
ActionSA provincial leader Victor Mothemela confirmed the crisis in December. He said that people in Seshego were having stomach pains and severe headaches. All ailments were due to the allegedly contaminated water.
Loss of lives related to water crisis
Kobe on Tuesday gave details of the post-oversight visit to the Seshego Water Treatment Plant. She said there is still a lot of serious issues that need to be addressed by the city.
“This comes despite the fact that the mayor had previously dismissed these concerns. They are claiming that water quality and access were unrelated to the unfolding tragic loss of lives. At the peak of the crisis, the mayor and municipal manager effectively abandoned the municipality. They left residents without answers or leadership. Only to show up once spurred on by increasing pressure from ActionSA on behalf of residents.
“This level of dereliction is unacceptable, particularly in the wake of the tragic deaths of four children. As families continue to bury their loved ones while basic services fail,” said Kobe.
Mpe told the media on Tuesday that he will do his own oversight visit at the Seshego Water Treatment Plant. He plans to see what the problem is, and do his best to deal with the matter.
