Unsafe water is yet another nail in SA’s coffin
There is not a day in the country when there isn’t some kind of a crisis. Now we are told that nearly 50% of what we regard as potable water that gushes out of our home taps is in fact unsuitable for human consumption.
Potable water, by definition, is water that is drinkable and safe for cooking.
Municipalities must ask themselves why they have dropped the water ball.
Recently South Africans woke up to a Blue Drop report that stated water quality has badly deteriorated. At least this is the case in several municipalities, spread across the country.
In its defence, the department states that given the untenable situation of neglect, it has issued a statement ordering the leadership of municipalities, which should include mayors, town managers and councillors, among others, to “issue advisory notices to their residents that their water might not be safe to drink if it has not been properly tested”.
To cut to the chase, this was not done.
The information about the poor quality of water was not passed on to the residents, warning them that to drink unsafe water can only be done at their own risk, and detriment. This is gross negligence.
Responsible leadership should be concerned about the safety and well-being of communities. To act contrary to this dictate is to put the ratepayers’ well-being in harm’s way.
But this is what the municipal leaders, both at administrative and executive levels, have been doing – acting irresponsibly and inconsistent with constitutional demands of protecting human life.
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu said his ministry, or the government, was addressing the matter, and the plan was to provide grants to municipalities of more than R20-billion, to ameliorate the bad situation of gross neglect by municipalities.
The question is: “Is this how the problem of neglect ought to be addressed – throwing money at it, and walking away, hoping the problem will go away?”
We ought to worry a lot about the laissez-faire approach, or the non-interference stance by the national and provincial governments, when things at local government, go awry.
The constitution is clear, and there is no ambiguity in this respect, the national and provincial governments are entitled and empowered to intervene when municipalities fail to exercise the mandate conferred on them by the constitution.
While the constitution confers legislative and executive authority on local government, it also recognises its weaknesses, and demands of the national and provincial governments to closely supervise municipalities to ensure they are in line with the constitution.
Where were the national and provincial governments when this gross neglect by municipalities was taking place?
The inescapable reality is that, like everything else, the country is crumbling, the country’s wastewater treatment plants are in a shambles, exposing communities to serious health risks, including to cholera.
And sadly, this says a lot about the country’s failing governance, and the country government’s failure to run the country as the constitution demands of it.
