March is a very special month in the South African calendar, as it is both National Water Month and Human Rights Month. We celebrate Human Rights Day on March 21 and then on March 22 we join the world in celebrating World Water Day.
This is very significant as water is life and a basic human right. As the department of water and sanitation leads the celebration of the National Water Week, from March 20 to 26 2023, let us all make it a time to reflect on water issues in our country.
Access to water is entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of SA, therefore, all the citizens of the country must have access to water. In as much as there are attempts to ensure that people have access to water, there is a major challenge that is taking the country backwards and denying people their basic human right to water supply, and this challenge is infrastructure vandalism.
This year’s National Water Week theme is Accelerating Change; but how can we accelerate change to people’s lives by accelerating water supply services when the available infrastructure is vandalised. Inasmuch as load shedding is a problem to reliable water supply, infrastructure vandalism is a worse challenge.
Infrastructure vandalism takes place in different forms, but there is no justification for this act as it negatively affects communities. Illegal connections are one form of infrastructure vandalism as the illegal connections affect the pressure in the pipelines, leading to some areas of the community, especially the high-lying areas, not receiving much needed water supplies.
We must never condone such acts as they are taking us backwards and infringe people’s basic human rights. The other act of infrastructure vandalism that is most prevalent nowadays is the stripping of water infrastructure to sell as scrap metals. These acts of criminality are having a major negative impact on water and sanitation infrastructure.
These criminals are also aided by load shedding as they get the opportunity to vandalise our infrastructure during the dark hours. These vandals or brazen criminals are costing the country big time as the infrastructure they steal must be replaced and this costs money and time and affects human lives. Cable theft is a major challenge and it affects all aspects of life.
Cable theft means electricity supply is affected and this leaves water and sanitation treatment works non-functional. This is a major problem as it leaves people without water and also leads to the pollution of water resources due to malfunctioning waste water treatment works.
Celebrating National Water Week: water is life and a basic human right
THEMBA KHOZA | Infrastructure vandalism the main cause of unreliable water supply in SA
Image: 123RF/MARINOS KARAFYLLIDIS
March is a very special month in the South African calendar, as it is both National Water Month and Human Rights Month. We celebrate Human Rights Day on March 21 and then on March 22 we join the world in celebrating World Water Day.
This is very significant as water is life and a basic human right. As the department of water and sanitation leads the celebration of the National Water Week, from March 20 to 26 2023, let us all make it a time to reflect on water issues in our country.
Access to water is entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of SA, therefore, all the citizens of the country must have access to water. In as much as there are attempts to ensure that people have access to water, there is a major challenge that is taking the country backwards and denying people their basic human right to water supply, and this challenge is infrastructure vandalism.
This year’s National Water Week theme is Accelerating Change; but how can we accelerate change to people’s lives by accelerating water supply services when the available infrastructure is vandalised. Inasmuch as load shedding is a problem to reliable water supply, infrastructure vandalism is a worse challenge.
Infrastructure vandalism takes place in different forms, but there is no justification for this act as it negatively affects communities. Illegal connections are one form of infrastructure vandalism as the illegal connections affect the pressure in the pipelines, leading to some areas of the community, especially the high-lying areas, not receiving much needed water supplies.
We must never condone such acts as they are taking us backwards and infringe people’s basic human rights. The other act of infrastructure vandalism that is most prevalent nowadays is the stripping of water infrastructure to sell as scrap metals. These acts of criminality are having a major negative impact on water and sanitation infrastructure.
These criminals are also aided by load shedding as they get the opportunity to vandalise our infrastructure during the dark hours. These vandals or brazen criminals are costing the country big time as the infrastructure they steal must be replaced and this costs money and time and affects human lives. Cable theft is a major challenge and it affects all aspects of life.
Cable theft means electricity supply is affected and this leaves water and sanitation treatment works non-functional. This is a major problem as it leaves people without water and also leads to the pollution of water resources due to malfunctioning waste water treatment works.
Joburg mayor steps in to tackle water shortages
The authorities need to beef up security in these key areas and communities must also report any suspicious activities. Infrastructure vandalism happens right in our face. It is now time to take action and root out this scourge of vandalism in our communities.
We cannot continue to look the other way and keep quite while these heartless vandals are destroying our infrastructure, our communities and our country. The time to stop infrastructure vandalism is now. As communities stand up to protect the infrastructure, law enforcement authorities must also come to the party to support the efforts of the communities.
Scrap metal dealers must also play their role in preventing infrastructure vandalism by not buying suspicious products. If they stop the market, there will be limited infrastructure vandalism. Law enforcement agencies must also do regular spot checks of these scrap metals dealers to ensure that there are no suspicious products that might be the result of infrastructure vandalism.
Municipalities, local authorities and other government authorities must also regularly engage and update communities regarding water and sanitation services projects to prevent illegal connections. The authorities must also ensure that the water and waste water treatment plants are well protected and maintained to ensure the reliable supply of quality water.
Accelerating change is in our hands and the time is now to play a role in protecting our water and sanitation infrastructure from vandalism to ensure that everyone has reliable water supply. After all, water is life and a basic human right, so let us all play a positive role to ensure that no one is denied the source of life and a basic human right.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos