DWS, quo vadis? municipalities comment
We may indeed be asking where the Department of Water and Sanitation( DWS) is going in terms of really getting things done in a manner that provides encouragement to the people of this country, especially those who have no water and sanitation— a basic human right!
These introductory remarks may give the impression that everyone and everything in the DWS is inept. A misconstrued thought, as there are good people in the department trying their level best to fulfil the mandate for the department despite the politics and nonsense surrounding them.
Can we believe everything printed in our newspapers, especially when fake news is the order of the day?
Certainly, in matters pertaining to polluted rivers, drought and such we can. When the church starts putting pressure on government to deliver the most basic of services to people, one knows we really do have a problem.
Let us consider the fact that OUTA has now established a Water Portfolio to look into corruption and maladministration.‘ Toxic contaminants choking one of Gauteng’ s main river systems— scientists have established the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons( PAH); this affects one of the highly populated areas south of Johannesburg’, and‘ Hydrologist calls Eastern Basin acid water plant a sledgehammer— a R1-billion treatment plant for acid mine drainage could ultimately create more toxic water’.
It goes on and on. OK, so the media tells only the bad things; yet, why is OUTA having to use the courts to get documents that should be in the public domain?
On another note that is not picking on the DWS, but those government institutions at all levels, from metros to water boards. Local municipalities, companies, individuals, water user associations, and bulk payers owe the DWS R9.2-billion! How can we expect the DWS to do its work when it is owed such an amount? It is small wonder that the DWS is broke. Whoever is running their finances, we suggest you take some tough action and recover this money. It is unacceptable that any organisation is expected to run under such trying circumstances and yes, where to now DWS? u
Rory
Rory Macnamara | Editor
Water Sewage & Effluent March / April 2017 1