Makhado – The African Peoples Congress (APC) has lodged a formal complaint with the Makhado Municipality, demanding urgent intervention in what it describes as a “protracted and unacceptable” water crisis that has been going on for three years.
In a letter of request to the mayor and city manager, the APC said it was acting in the public interest on behalf of residents, businesses and communities affected by the continued lack of reliable water supplies.
The party stressed that access to adequate water is a fundamental human right under Article 27 of the Constitution and that municipalities have a legal obligation to consistently provide this essential service.
According to the APC, the crisis has had serious consequences, including violations of residents' constitutional rights, business disruption, economic losses, threats to jobs, negative impacts on public health and public health, and a decline in investor confidence.
The party added that public dissatisfaction and loss of trust in the ability of local governments to fulfill their responsibilities is rapidly increasing.
APC is asking for a written response within seven days on the causes of the crisis, actions taken over the past three years, the status of water infrastructure projects, timelines for restoring uninterrupted service, and contingency plans to ensure access to water for the time being.
If the municipality does not respond appropriately, APC said it would escalate the matter to oversight and regulatory bodies, including the Limpopo Cooperative Governance Authority, the Water and Sewerage Authority, the South African Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector and Parliament.
