South Africa: DA Blames 'Water Mafia' As Gauteng Goes Weeks Without Water

By Palesa Matlala

Helen Zille says the DA will take the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water to court over the water crisis.

Households in Pimville, Meadowlands and Dube have been without water for weeks while factories in Selby have been without water for months.

Households across Gauteng have been without water for weeks. Factories in Selby have had no water for almost eight months.

The DA announced on Wednesday it will take the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water to court. Helen Zille, DA federal council chair and Johannesburg mayoral candidate, said the party has been consulting with lawyers since last year.

Zille said water infrastructure has not been maintained for the past 30 years. This has caused water shortages, burst pipes and overcharging of residents.

"They have looked at the water recovery plan that was adopted by the Johannesburg council two years ago, and they say we have a clear case to go to court," said Zille.

She said water is a constitutional right. "It's a right that a local government must make sure every one of its citizens realises," she said.

Zille said money is being diverted away from critical service delivery areas. The DA could not give a timeline for the legal battle.

Pimville, Meadowlands and Dube residents are experiencing water shortages. Water tankers have been deployed but it is unclear when water will be restored.

Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng chairperson, said reservoirs have been deliberately closed for the benefit of the water mafia. The Temba Water Treatment Plant was fixed to give Hammanskraal residents clean drinking water but has been vandalised more than three times.

"I'm not going to mention people's names because I don't have bodyguards. I can't say who is part of the tanker mafias," said Msimanga.

He said the DA has written to the government about the issue. KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are hit the most by the alleged water mafia.

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