The Department of Water and Sanitation responded to the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), which recently called for transparency from the department.

OUTA last week requested, through a Promotion to Access of Information Application – PAIA, that the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, publish the following reports which indicate water quality, water loss and compliance:

a) the Complete Blue Drop Reports of 2015 & 2016.
b) the Complete Green Drop Report of 2015
c) the Complete Non-Revenue Water Reports 2014 & 2016, and the
d) the Complete Regulatory Performance Monitoring System Reports for 2015 & 2016.

The department said this statement from OUTA was “nothing but a smokescreen being created to further distract the department from attending to the priority imperatives of transformation as set out by the minister”.

The department was on the defence, and explained that it was “accountable to the people of South Africa through Parliament, and as required by law, submits annual reports and audited financial statements on an annual basis for public scrutiny”.

OUTA said that there has been a growing request from the public to investigate possible maladministration within the water department in light of the country’s water crisis.

The organisation added that concerns were around governance, transparency and corruption.

In a statement released by the DWS, it said:

“In the last financial year, 2015/16, the department achieved its first unqualified audit opinion since 2009, from the Auditor-General of South Africa. Equally, on an annual basis the department issues the Blue Drop (water quality) and Green Drop (wastewater) reports for individual municipalities as a tool to monitor and identify successes and weaknesses in the management of water and sanitation services in the country.”

The department also said that OUTA was “joining a group of outside influences who seek to undermine the transformative efforts of the department”.

Department welcomes OUTA’s assistance

The DWS pointed out the challenges it faced from individual farmers who have in the past refused to grant communities around large dams access to water, as well as companies that “continue to hold a monopoly over professional services and construction projects”.

The department said it welcomed any input from OUTA to assist with moving South Africa forward and to ensure access to clean water and decent sanitation by all citizens, particularly the poor.

“The statement made is opportunistic, is based on falsehoods and is intended to protect minority interests under the guise of promoting transparency and good governance,” the department said.