MyPE

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Human rights crisis in broken Makana Municipality

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Dear MyPE

The appalling living conditions of the residents of KwaThatha and Sun City informal settlements in Makhanda (Grahamstown) is a human rights crisis and the broken ANC governed Makana Local Municipality must take full responsibility for this.

Yesterday, 5 December 2018, I was joined by the DA Team One South Africa Spokesperson on Basic Services, Makashule Gana, DA EC Premier Campaign Spokesperson, Cllr Mlindi Nhanha, and local councillors and conducted an oversight inspection to both settlements.

The people of KwaThatha and Sun City have been living in inhumane conditions because of a lack of sanitation facilities provided by Makana Local Municipality.

A river of raw sewage flows close to their houses and is a daily issues for the residents of KwaThatha Informal Settlement and the health risk to all is immense. This sewage eventually flows into the Kowie River. (see pictures above)

Sun City was established on an old garbage dump site and consists of about 100 shacks that houses about 500 people, all of which use the bucket system. The community also shares two taps, of which one is not working. The tap leaks constantly, resulting in pools of filthy water in which mosquitos breed.

I have written to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to urgently intervene. To read the letter, please click here.

I will now write to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Fikile Xasa, to insist that he takes action.

South Africans are frustrated by the slow and inefficient delivery of basic services. The corruption and mismanagement of the ANC government is causing people to be without access to adequate housing, water, electricity and sanitation. The ANC government is robbing our people of their dignity.

A DA government will sign a contract with the residents of municipalities to ensure speedier delivery of quality access to water, electricity and sanitation.

Only a DA government can bring the change that will speed up service delivery to the residents of the Eastern Cape and that will build One South Africa for All.

Regards

Nqaba Bhanga
DA EC Premier Candidate

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