Politics and Government Politics and Government
Wed, February 12, 2025

'Water Mafia', High vacancy rates and infrastructure decay behind water crisis - report


Published on 2025-02-12 06:20:55 - MSN
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  • The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) briefed the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation on Tuesday about some of the water-related inquiry reports it has produced in recent years.

The article from MSN discusses the critical water crisis in South Africa, attributing it to several key issues: the influence of a "water mafia," high vacancy rates in municipal water management positions, and the decay of water infrastructure. According to a report by the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), the water sector has been given a "D" grade, indicating a poor state of affairs. The "water mafia" refers to criminal elements that illegally control water distribution, often through intimidation and corruption. High vacancy rates in essential water management roles exacerbate the problem by leaving critical positions unfilled, leading to mismanagement and neglect of water systems. Additionally, the infrastructure, much of which is aging, suffers from lack of maintenance and investment, resulting in frequent breakdowns and water losses. The report calls for urgent action to address these systemic failures to prevent further deterioration of water services across the country.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-za/politics/government/water-mafia-high-vacancy-rates-and-infrastructure-decay-behind-water-crisis-report/ar-AA1yT02J ]