DA urges government to take failing municipalities to court over water supply issues

By Akani Nkuna

The DA has lambasted municipalities across South Africa for failing to deal decisively with the water crisis, saying it was unacceptable that 47% of water treatment systems are in a critical or poor state while 68% of sanitation treatment systems are in high or critical risk.

The party called on the government to publicly name and shame municipalities failing their communities and urged the Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina to consider taking delinquent municipalities to court if necessary, demonstrating to South Africans how they have been let down.

The party’s deputy spokesperson on Water and Sanitation Stephen Moore said that South African municipalities could not collect sufficient revenue, in part due to neglected infrastructure, and the funds collected were poorly managed, affecting their capacity to deliver quality services.

Moore was addressing parliament on Tuesday in response to a statement made by Majodina on water security