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Johannesburg - The water crisis in rural as well as urban areas in South Africa requires urgent state and private sector intervention at the highest level, the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut (AHi) warned on Tuesday.
Despite efforts by various role players, the maintenance of water treatment and sewerage plants and the delivery of clean water have gone from bad to worse in many towns, the AHi warned.
The chamber, therefore, welcomes the replacement of incompetent municipal staff in some instances.
“The current crisis, however, requires a national action plan to stop it from spiralling out of control,” the AHi said in a statement.
“We call on government to establish partnerships with leading South African and even international engineering companies specialising in water purification and water delivery in order to do a proper assessment of the water situation in all the affected towns and to institute emergency corrective measures.”
The AHi said one can no longer solely rely on the feedback of councillors and municipal staff in these towns regarding the municipality’s ability to maintain infrastructure and to supply clean water.
“In many instances all kinds of feeble excuses are conjured up, which can no longer be justified,” the AHi said.
“Government also knows that the water crisis in many towns are caused by factors such as a lack of qualified engineers to maintain ageing infrastructure, poor financial planning, non-payment of water bills and in some instances corrupt practices between municipal officers and so-called local water suppliers.”
The AHi said the establishment of a national team of water experts from both government and private sector is required to come up with a comprehensive action plan to be implemented as a matter of urgency.
“If it results in side-lining municipal officers who have been failing in their duty all along and side-stepping local government regulations so be it,” the chamber said.
“The water crisis in many towns demands steps taken akin to those instituted during a state of emergency.”
The AHi also called on its affiliated business chambers to use the expertise in their midst to assist municipalities in instituting maintenance procedures at water plants and to consider setting up an emergency water fund to provide water for all citizens, especially township dwellers.
“The violence and ensuing conflict between the police and local citizens regarding the non-delivery of clean water impact negatively on the local economy and affects each and every business,” said the AHi.
“However, we also call on municipalities to embrace the assistance offered by local chambers. Co-operation and mutual goodwill at local level could in part be the answer to solve the water crisis in an amicable way.”
Despite efforts by various role players, the maintenance of water treatment and sewerage plants and the delivery of clean water have gone from bad to worse in many towns, the AHi warned.
The chamber, therefore, welcomes the replacement of incompetent municipal staff in some instances.
“The current crisis, however, requires a national action plan to stop it from spiralling out of control,” the AHi said in a statement.
“We call on government to establish partnerships with leading South African and even international engineering companies specialising in water purification and water delivery in order to do a proper assessment of the water situation in all the affected towns and to institute emergency corrective measures.”
The AHi said one can no longer solely rely on the feedback of councillors and municipal staff in these towns regarding the municipality’s ability to maintain infrastructure and to supply clean water.
“In many instances all kinds of feeble excuses are conjured up, which can no longer be justified,” the AHi said.
“Government also knows that the water crisis in many towns are caused by factors such as a lack of qualified engineers to maintain ageing infrastructure, poor financial planning, non-payment of water bills and in some instances corrupt practices between municipal officers and so-called local water suppliers.”
The AHi said the establishment of a national team of water experts from both government and private sector is required to come up with a comprehensive action plan to be implemented as a matter of urgency.
“If it results in side-lining municipal officers who have been failing in their duty all along and side-stepping local government regulations so be it,” the chamber said.
“The water crisis in many towns demands steps taken akin to those instituted during a state of emergency.”
The AHi also called on its affiliated business chambers to use the expertise in their midst to assist municipalities in instituting maintenance procedures at water plants and to consider setting up an emergency water fund to provide water for all citizens, especially township dwellers.
“The violence and ensuing conflict between the police and local citizens regarding the non-delivery of clean water impact negatively on the local economy and affects each and every business,” said the AHi.
“However, we also call on municipalities to embrace the assistance offered by local chambers. Co-operation and mutual goodwill at local level could in part be the answer to solve the water crisis in an amicable way.”
