(Photo: Pieter Cloete/Maroela Media)
The presidency requested an extension of 30 days to respond to a Paia application in which documents about pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s promised national water crisis plan is requested.
Stephen Moore, the DA’s spokesperson on water and sanitation, says the request for a delay is worrying, especially because this plan was already announced in February during the state of the nation address.
Moore filed the Paia application on March 25. Among other things, he asks for minutes of meetings of the president’s national crisis committee, the committee’s instructions and decisions, as well as the national water crisis plan itself.
“The presidency provides no motivation for the extension, and that is telling,” says Moore.
According to him, an extension would not have been necessary if the documents were already ready.
“The plan therefore either does not exist, or it is not yet complete, or it is inadequate. Either of these outcomes is devastating for the millions of South Africans who still have to endure the humiliation of dry taps.”
Moore says it’s also important to distinguish between a real crisis plan and the mere amalgamation of existing government programs.
“Merging existing government programs together is not a crisis plan. It is simply a continuation of the status quo under which South Africans are already suffering.”
According to Moore, Ramaphosa convened a coordination council meeting last week where the crisis plan was expected to be presented, but this still did not happen.
“The presidency must be honest with South Africans. Is there really a plan to save millions of residents from the humiliation of dry taps, or are they just trying to buy time to scrape together existing programs?”
Moore says the DA will continue to put pressure on the government to tackle water problems in municipalities.
“The DA will continue to fight to fix dry taps. It has never been more important that voters rally behind DA-controlled local governments.”