The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg is deeply disturbed that Mayor Morero is seemingly missing in action while dry taps send communities into the streets.
Residents took to the streets two weeks ago begging for water, and requesting the MMC for Infrastructure to be address them and explain why their taps are dry. Yesterday’s protests turned deadly, and today the protests continue.
All of this because Johannesburg has bungled its own water reticulation system.
Ward Councillors across Johannesburg are forced to answer for the failings of Morero and his executive, especially Councillors in Wards 66, 69 and 118 have had to bear the brunt of anger whilst the MMC and Mayor are in hiding.
It is an absolute disgrace that residents in Johannesburg have to fight for access to water. Basic human rights are being trampled on in the economic hub of South Africa.
In the absence of the mayor, and any verifiable communication from the City and its entities, the DA in Johannesburg has commenced a round of unannounced oversights to some of the systems to determine the true state of affairs.
Water tankers have long been suspected of being used as cash cows for politically connected cadres, importantly though, is the enabling force behind this – water towers must be broken and kept broken, for water tankers to run.
It is for this reason that the DA called for a full overhaul of the City’s entities and requested Treasury to conduct an investigation into Joburg’s water tanker contracts
We now call on the mayor to:
- Dissolve the cadre filled board of Joburg Water;
- Appoint fit for purpose engineers and experienced individuals to run the entity;
- Fast track the repair of Hursthill and Brixton reservoirs that supply these areas (Westbury and Coronationville amongst others); and
- Put measures in place that enable private investors to construct water towers and distribution systems.
The DA in Johannesburg continues to fight for all residents especially the most vulnerable who pay the price for corruption in government.