South African commission links Gauteng water crisis to poor maintenance
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on SABC News
The South African Human Rights Commission attributes Gauteng’s water crisis to failing infrastructure, poor maintenance and weak municipal accountability, rather than an absolute shortage. Its inquiry makes eight recommendations and asks municipal councils to report their actions to the auditor-general within three months of the report’s publication, according to the commission.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) attributes the water crisis in Gauteng to failing infrastructure, poor maintenance and weak municipal accountability, rather than an absolute shortage. Commissioner Henk Boshoff presented the findings on Monday 2 November in Johannesburg, when the inquiry report was released, according to public broadcaster SABC News.
The commission makes eight recommendations to improve water and sanitation services and protect residents’ rights. It calls, in particular, for municipalities to address irregular and wasteful expenditure. Each municipal council must submit a report to the auditor-general within three months of the report’s publication, setting out the steps taken — in other words, by early 2027.
The SAHRC says water tankers, intended to respond to outages, have become a regular source of supply for some communities. Henk Boshoff warned that this dependence exposes residents to uncertain deliveries, access difficulties and possible abuse. He accused municipal officials and service providers of diverting these services to serve corrupt interests.
The inquiry comes as Gauteng’s water networks lose one billion litres a day, according to a report published on 2 November.
