DEAR Editor;
The Ugu water crisis is now entering its sixth year and shows no signs of abating. Ongoing problems related to water service delivery have created havoc in this district.
Acts of sabotage, intimidation, political infighting, and infrastructure vandalism have resulted in this municipality being unable to provide water services to its almost one million residents for many years. The municipality’s continuous lack of communication and updates into the causes of the current water outages is highly concerning.
The Bill of Rights in the Constitution notes in Section 27(1) that everyone has the right to water. Water is even more essential during the Covid-19 pandemic and the current 4th wave. It is needed not only for handwashing and basic hygiene but also used in the recovery of patients.
The district municipality finds itself in a situation where, due to the variety of factors impacting negatively on water provision, it is unable to provide this basic service, and the efforts of a multi-disciplinary, inter-governmental approach are now necessary.
The provisions laid out in Section 44 of the Disaster Management Act need to be brought into effect to address the disaster that the district is now facing. There is a standing resolution of the Ugu District Municipal Council for the declaration of a local disaster area.
There are vast areas of the district currently entering its third week without water, including large parts of Margate, Ramsgate, Southbroom, and Port Shepstone.
Additionally, this is prime tourist season for many businesses along the KZN South Coast and many were businesses were using this season to rebuild, save and create more jobs for the large number of unemployed.
Many tourists are now leaving. The Premier, Sihle Zikalala has highlighted the importance of tourism in rebuilding KwaZulu-Natal’s economy following the Covid-19 lockdown slump and July riots.
Given the hopelessness of the current situation, the only solution will be a high-level disaster management intervention and we call on the premier to ensure that these measures are put in place so that the residents can be assured of this necessity.
The Democratic Alliance urges Premier Zikalala to take the necessary and bold action to provide leadership and support in the ongoing Ugu water crisis.
FRANCOIS RODGERS MPL
Democratic Alliance KwaZulu-Natal Leader
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