The crisis has peaked, evolving from a local struggle for water into a nationwide issue. As schools and hospitals are hardest hit, the commission warns this instability now directly threatens the right to healthcare. 

Free State HRC manager Thonoko Modise said water mafias have become so severe they demand immediate intervention. In the Northern Cape, inquiries revealed a disturbing trend. 

“Instead of the municipality really using funds to repair infrastructure, excessive funds have been used to hire water tankers.”  

To combat these systemic failures, HRC commissioner Henk Boshoff has entered high-level talks with minister of water and sanitation Pemmy Majodina and other stakeholders responsible for the nation’s water mandate. 

While the push for a state of disaster is intended to unlock emergency resources, there was a focus on preventing the corruption and embezzlement that have plagued previous national emergencies.

The commission called for rigorous oversight to ensure every cent is used for its intended purpose, the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and the restoration of reliable service.

The commission is calling for rigorous oversight to ensure every cent is used for its intended purpose. Photo: Freepik

It also commended proactive long-term measures, such as community-led water preservation campaigns, emphasising access to water is an immediate right that cannot be delayed or ignored by bureaucracy. 

Provincial offices continued to be flooded with complaints, and the legislative power of the commission was being mobilised to redress these ongoing human rights violations.

“I’m also saying our residents should actually participate in the process of holding councillors accountable because they voted them into power,” said Modise

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OFM News/Refilwe Bekane dg