Parliament urges action on water and infrastructure delivery in EC municipalities

By Thapelo Molefe

A joint parliamentary oversight delegation has urged Eastern Cape municipalities to fast-track the delivery of water and infrastructure services amid growing concerns over poor governance, decaying infrastructure, and chronic service delays.

The delegation, made up of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General, met on Tuesday with five municipalities — Koukamma, Blue Crane, Inxuba Yethemba, and the OR Tambo District Municipality. 

The session with the Sundays River Local Municipality was postponed allowing the presence of provincial MECs for CoGTA and Finance to address key questions from members.

Across the board, committee members identified deep-rooted weaknesses in service delivery, financial management and institutional capacity. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the delegation said the engagements revealed that many of the municipalities face similar challenges, including financial instability, staff shortages, and significant backlogs in water and sanitation projects.

In the