SAHRC lashes Tshwane over failure to pitch for Hammanskraal water meeting
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has expressed disappointment after the City of Tshwane failed to pitch up for an inspection of a water plant in Hammanskraal.
The commission says the city failed to honour its request to be accompanied by a city official during an inspection of Temba Purification Plant in Hammanskraal, north of Tshwane.
The commission embarked on yet another water inspection in Stinkwater and Hammanskraal on Thursday.
The commission’s Buang Jones says at this stage it will not be issuing any directives to the city since the only purpose of the visit was to verify if there had been any implementation of the action plans by the city to redress the water issue in the area.
He adds this was the second time the city failed to assign an official.
“Even in Parliament, the mayor of the City of Tshwane was not in Parliament when we appeared to address Parliament on the progress made in the address the water situation in Hammanskraal.”
The commission will write a letter to the city demanding a progress report.
The Hammanskraal Residents Forum’s chairperson, Tumelo Koitheng, says the water is now clearer, however, that doesn’t mean the water quality has improved.
Koitheng says the water still has the trace of nitrates and phosphates which is harmful to the human body.
“Until such time that the source… the tests have been done, then we will say we have water of good quality.”
Koitheng says residents are not confident that the current administration will be able to deliver clean drinking water.