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Team To Address Provincial Water Crisis

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Dear Editor

A motion was passed yesterday at a sitting of the DA Eastern Cape Provincial Council, approving a party workstream to address the provincial water crisis which has devastating humanitarian and economic consequences for the people of the Eastern Cape.

The Provincial Council, which is the party’s highest decision-making body in the province, unanimously voted in favour of establishing a party workstream under the auspices of the DA Shadow MEC for CoGTA, Retief Odendaal MPL.

Despite being designated as Water Services Authorities, District Municipalities continue to fall short in delivering quality water and sanitation services to the people of the Eastern Cape. A significant challenge lies in their vast geographical coverage, which often exceeds their capacity due to inadequate human and financial resources.

The workstream team, which will consist of DA public representatives from all municipalities and the relevant district municipalities, will be tasked with developing suitable solutions and recommendations for improving water services across all District Municipalities in the province. The team will provide regular feedback on progress to future Provincial Councils.

Access to sufficient water and sanitation is not only a fundamental human right – a scarcity of water also has a devastating impact on efforts to grow the economy and create jobs in the Eastern Cape. As agriculture forms the backbone of our economy, access to sufficient water is crucial for its survival and success.

As part of our efforts to address the province’s water struggles, we will engage with the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, the DA’s Sello Seitlholo, to explore possible interventions and solutions.

Recent Stats SA reports have indicated that 1,4 million people and as many as 578 000 households in the Eastern Cape still lack access to piped potable water. Approximately 25 000 households are forced to draw unsafe, non-potable water from rivers, streams, or dams for household consumption.

Additionally, tens of thousands of households with access to piped potable water experience daily water supply interruptions due to infrastructure failures.

The DA is committed to fighting tirelessly until every household in the Eastern Cape has access to sufficient water and sanitation – a basic right that is essential for dignity and wellbeing. Furthermore, we will continue to fight for economic growth and job creation, recognising that these are intertwined with the province’s water challenges.

The people of the Eastern Cape deserve to live a meaningful life of dignity, hope, and access to their fundamental human rights, alongside a thriving economy and employment opportunities.

Regards

Andrew Whitfield MP
DA EC Provincial Leader

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Port Elizabethan

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