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Gauteng MEC for Finance, Barbara Creecy and MEC for Local Government, Paul Mashatile must accept responsibility for the perilous situation faced by thousands of Emfuleni residents who have had no access to water due to the financial mismanagement of the Emfuleni Local Municipality.

Last year the DA advised both MECs that Emfuleni should been placed under administration as it owed millions of Rands to both Eskom and Rand Water, placing residents and businesses in a precarious situation.

Had the ANC in Gauteng acted swiftly on the DA’s recommendations, these measures could have been avoided.

Both Creecy and Mashatile were too concerned with scoring places in the ANC’s elective congress in December 2017 to pay attention to the powder keg in the Vaal region which was waiting to explode.

Despite the fact that the Premier, David Makhura visited this municipality last week to assess the situation, it did little to change the water crisis in Emfuleni.

Water supply is a basic human right guaranteed by the constitution.

It is unacceptable for residents to be without water for days, particularly during this heat wave.

The Emfuleni Municipality must be dissolved and placed under administration as soon as possible to uphold government’s constitutional mandate of service delivery to all residents.

Failure to do so will not only perpetuate the financial mismanagement that has taken root, but residents will be exposed to health hazards such as diarrhoea, infection and dehydration.

The DA has requested a meeting with the Emfuleni Local Municipality Municipal Manager and the Mayor to get clarity on when the payment for the outstanding balance to Rand Water will be made to avoid the recurrence of such a situation.

Issued by DA