The Kopanong Local Municipality has been given 18 months to implement a turnaround strategy to fix its water crisis.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has found that the municipality in the Free State has violated residents’ right to human dignity by its failure to provide safe and sustainable water supply.

The SAHRC investigated the matter following a complaint from the Democratic Alliance alleging that the municipality is denying residents of a basic human right by not providing access to water.

Residents have reportedly had to endure prolonged or frequent water shortages which also impacted on the provision of health care services.

Following the investigation, the commission also found that, in failing to adequately notify residents about the possible contamination of water, possible health risks, persistent water shortages and maintenance challenges, and plans to improve residents’ access to basic water services, the municipality has violated residents’ right to both the a clean environment and access to information.

 

Improving operations

The SAHRC has directed the municipality to provide it with an operations and maintenance plan required to run water supply in an efficient, effective and sustainable manner within three months.

The Kopanong Local Municipality has also been directed to upgrade its package plant and employ modern technology to remove arsenic more efficiently, perform pump test of boreholes in Jagersfontein and Fauresmith in order to determine the sustainable yield of each borehole, and continue to monitor boreholes to have knowledge of how arsenic concentration in water varies and what influences it.

The SAHRC has indicated further directives that should be completed within 18 months. These include enhancing community participation and demonstrating some level of transparency in its governance by convening regular feedback sessions every three months relating to the supply of water to residents.

 

Free State DWA to get involved

The Free State Department of Water Affairs (DWA) will be required to provide the commission with a plan on how they intend to verify the water quality within three months. The department is directed to continue to monitor the water supply and infrastructural improvement programmes and to take regular water samples for testing to ensure supply of safe and clean water.

 

Mining pollution?

The Free State DWA is further required to conduct an investigation into the extent, if any, of the liability of a mining company for the water pollution or failure to rehabilitate or seal an open mine shaft from which water was drawn for the community.

The department is required to provide the commission with a report on the outcome of its investigations and findings within 12 months.