“Hammanskraal community is supplied by three suppliers of water. One is Magalies Water — it has done well in the area of their supply, there are no complaints. The second one is Rand Water, which has been doing well in their area of supply. But where there has been a failure, and is still a failure, is in the area supplied by the city of Tshwane,” Mchunu said.
He said Tshwane has been assessed for its capacity to deliver clean water and sanitation services and was found to have reasonable skills.
“In other words, they have the capacity in terms of human resources. They have been found to have money ... we have met the Treasury and it has advised that where we were seeking money to intervene directly, we [should] rather talk to Tshwane,” Mchunu said.
“Tshwane has money to rehabilitate and fix whatever needs to be fixed in their system, but they have been resisting for reasons known to them. They have not been dealing with their responsibility on these matters.”
His department and the city continue to engage on the issue, he added.
“We are close to resolving the matter and there will be an agreement. We seek to escalate it to a court order so everybody is forced to comply with their responsibilities.”
TimesLIVE
Tshwane drags feet in providing clean water to Hammanskaal: Senzo Mchunu
Image: Freddy Mavunda
Minister of water and sanitation Senzo Mchunu on Friday said Tshwane has been dragging its feet on resolving water issues in Hammanskraal.
Mchunu said this was totally unacceptable and unjustifiable.
“We believe that the city of Tshwane has unjustifiably been resistant to providing clean water, as they are supposed to, to the people of Hammanskraal,” he said.
Mchunu was giving an update on the state of water and sanitation to mark his first year in office.
In 2019, the SA Human Rights Commission declared the water in Hammanskraal unsafe for human consumption and the situation has not changed since.
“Hammanskraal community is supplied by three suppliers of water. One is Magalies Water — it has done well in the area of their supply, there are no complaints. The second one is Rand Water, which has been doing well in their area of supply. But where there has been a failure, and is still a failure, is in the area supplied by the city of Tshwane,” Mchunu said.
He said Tshwane has been assessed for its capacity to deliver clean water and sanitation services and was found to have reasonable skills.
“In other words, they have the capacity in terms of human resources. They have been found to have money ... we have met the Treasury and it has advised that where we were seeking money to intervene directly, we [should] rather talk to Tshwane,” Mchunu said.
“Tshwane has money to rehabilitate and fix whatever needs to be fixed in their system, but they have been resisting for reasons known to them. They have not been dealing with their responsibility on these matters.”
His department and the city continue to engage on the issue, he added.
“We are close to resolving the matter and there will be an agreement. We seek to escalate it to a court order so everybody is forced to comply with their responsibilities.”
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