KZN water woes 'violation of rights' - SAHRC
Municipalities and
water service authorities in KZN have violated the rights of the residents they
serve by failing to provide them with clean, drinking water.
That is what the Human Rights Commission has concluded in its inquiry into the province's water crisis.
"This violation of rights is aggravated by the pervasive stance of neglect, disregard and in some instances contempt of people's suffering and their attempts to engage with their municipalities through officials and elected representatives," said Commissioner Philile Ntuli during the report's release in Durban on Monday.
On access to basic services, she said the commission noted stark disparities between rural and urban communities.
The SAHRC also noted the apartheid-era spatial planning that excluded communities from service delivery.
But Ntuli said it's unacceptable that the government has failed to transform spatial planning to benefit poor communities nearly three decades into democracy.
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"The impertinence of ageing and dilapidated infrastructure and the overwhelming demand for water far exceeding supply.
"Nonetheless, the commission finds that these challenges outlined by municipalities and water service authorities deflect poor planning and management resources that are reluctant to deal with corruption and mal performance and an inability to plan a budget of future needs and expenditures."
The commission has advised the Department of Cooperative Governance to place some municipalities under administration.
It says radical measures are needed to combat fraud and corruption.
