DA writes to Human Rights Commission to urgently probe constant power and water cuts in Steve Tshwete
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM), Mpumalanga, has written to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to request an investigation into the constant power and water cuts that devastates the municipality.
The municipality urgently needs help as it finds itself in decay where residents are facing not only hours, but days without water and electricity.
This affects the residents of all 29 wards of STLM.
In some wards, taps can run dry for 8 hours. When residents do indeed have water, the water is of poor quality.
All South Africans deserve clean, drinking water like the DA provides in the City of Cape Town. However, this is not the case in STLM where the water is high in sulphur and other metals.
Places such as Doornkop, Dennesig, Kanonkop, the CBD and Mhluzi Township – to name a few – spend many days without water. This all happens while water is wasted as pipe bursts take days to be attended to.
Not only do residents face days without water and electricity, but must face unhygienic conditions of raw sewage from blocked drains with sewage spilling onto the street, overflowing drains in various fields and into the surrounding Oliphant’s River which put the health of many at risk.
The DA seeks urgent assistance from the SAHRC as the municipality keeps violating residents’ Constitutional Right of being provided with clean, drinking water and basic services such as electricity.
