The Hammanskraal Water Crisis Panel has issued an invitation to the Mayor of Tshwane to appear before a public hearing to account for the ongoing water crisis in the area. ActionSA President, Mr Herman Mashaba, and his team announced that the hearings will take place during the weekend of 16 – 18 April 2021 and that an independent panel has been finalized, which includes a water expert, a human rights lawyer, religious and community leaders.
The announcement followed an inspection of the Rooiwal water treatment plant last month, which supplies water to the Hammanskraal residents, by Mr Mashaba and Mr Abel Tau.
Mr Mashaba said the Hammanskraal water issue has been in existence for nearly two decades now and over the years, it has gotten worse with no signs of improving. Public interest in the matter peaked in 2017 after the 2016 election campaign produced many promises to the residents of Tshwane and Rooiwal but resulted in no action.
The panel will be chaired by Professor Jonas Leaka Letsoalo (Adv.) of the Supreme Court since 1981 to date. Other panel members include, Dumizulu Nkwanyane, A 30-year-old community activist, Pete Graham, water expert and owner of Singakwazi Aid, Victor Wegerle, from Singakwazi Aid, Chief Kgomotso Cornelius Kekana of the Second House of Amandebele ba Lebelo.
The panel will also constitute of representatives from the CSIR, Magalies Water and Hammanskraal resident’s forum. The Invitation was also extended to the City of Tshwane municipality and the SAHRC.
“ActionSA is proud of the panel that has been assembled and confident that they will apply their minds to the issue without fear or favour. The people of these communities deserve justice for the fundamental local government failure that they have endured from a City fast becoming renown for is delinquency in fulfilling the human right to water,” Mr Mahaba said.
