Chair’s comment

TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WATER

According to the latest local government audit outcomes report, 27% of South Africa’s municipalities say they don’t know if they can continue – and almost one in four councils, or 57, failed to deliver any kind of financial statement by the statutory audit deadline.

By now, we all know the story about how a small local municipality (Emfuleni) posed a significant threat to the Vaal River System – one of the most strategic water assets in the country and on the African continent.

After a damning ruling by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and a consequent R8 billion intervention by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), there is a chance that the Vaal River System situation will be improved.

Holding authorities to account

Then there is a story about how a poultry producer, Astral Foods, took Lekwa Local Municipality to court over the non-delivery of basic services – and won. Government will be required to intervene in Lekwa and, together with National Treasury, prepare a financial recovery plan. The order also provides for Astral to approach the court again for further relief, if it is of the view that the financial recovery plan is not being implemented. Another story features dairy group Clover, and the fact that it is shutting down its factory in Lichtenburg over similar service delivery failures – and opting to shift its operations to Durban instead. This showcases the economic impact that a lack of water delivery has on surrounding areas.

The problem is, if all businesses move to areas with better service delivery, there is an additional burden placed on already water stressed areas, while negatively impacting on the local economy it leaves behind. It is not a sustainable solution for all affected parties.

We have the President who is lobbying for investment on one side and municipalities that cannot deliver a basket of basic services on the other. Delivering water services is a building block for the reconstruction and development of our country. This is not about building new infrastructure only – it is also about fixing some very basic issues that can make an immediate and significant impact.

Immediate action

Our industry requires a high level of intervention and immediate action. There are brilliant professionals in the sector and I firmly believe that solutions to the water crisis lie within the membership of WISA and our other professional bodies. We need to understand how to elevate the discussion around water at its most basic and impactful level. How do we communicate this risk better, with our stakeholders and citizenry? How do we start to do things differently to avert the major crisis we know is looming?

We all need to get our hands dirty and start to fix the problems facing our industry, but only if we are allowed to do what we are good at in a multidisciplinary team effort in a compact with our communities and citizens.

The current situation is dire and there is little doubt that our municipalities are failing to deliver water.

By Dan Naidoo, chair, WISA