Call for Consequence Management in South African Municipalities Over Water Crisis

A robust call has been made by civil rights organization AfriForum for the implementation of strict consequence management measures in South African municipalities. This demand comes in response to the disturbing findings by the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC) concerning the widespread deficiencies in water and sanitation services across several provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Free State.

These findings were disclosed during a recent report presented to the parliamentary portfolio committee on Water and Sanitation, pointing out not just a failure in service delivery but a blatant disregard for legal obligations facilitated by poor financial management and corrupt practices among officials.

According to Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s advisor for Environmental Affairs, while the HRC’s investigation substantiates the alarming state of water affairs, actual progress will be stymied without real accountability mechanisms in place. Municipalities often escape repercussions even when failing to comply with court orders aimed at addressing serious infrastructural failures, such as sewage treatment malfunctions which lead to environmental and health hazards.

A case in point is the dire situation in the Highveld town of Belfast (eMakhazeni), where AfriForum has been engaged in a protracted battle to rectify nearly a decade-long sewage crisis. The local infrastructure is in ruins, causing untreated sewage to spill into residential zones and natural habitats. Despite court interventions mandating the Emakhazeni Local Municipality to present a comprehensive remedial action plan, the required upgrades and repairs have been met with lethargy and lack of enforcement on stipulated deadlines.

Recent inspections reveal only minimal compliance, with some initial repairs to pumping stations but widespread negligence still prevalent. Concerns persist regarding the municipality's transparency and security measures at critical sites, which remain susceptible to vandalism, further exacerbating the issue and potentially nullifying the progress made so far.

AfriForum emphasizes the necessity for the provincial and national governments to fulfill their oversight roles more effectively and to impose tangible consequences on non-compliant municipalities. They argue that only through meaningful consequence management can the fundamental human rights to clean water and a healthy environment be safeguarded.

Furthermore, the active participation of communities and an independent management of water services are deemed crucial in rectifying the current crisis permanently. AfriForum is committed to continuing its advocacy and legal actions to push for these necessary reforms and ensure that municipalities are held accountable.

This case of Belfast is one of many that highlight the ongoing struggle faced by many South Africans in securing basic water and sanitation services, calling for an urgent systemic overhaul to restore functionality and integrity in local governance.