The Democratic Alliance (DA) is deeply concerned by recent reports of corruption, tender manipulation, and political interference at Amatola Water. The forensic report detailing secret meetings between Amatola Water’s leadership, the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, and a politically connected businessperson threatens to destabilise water security in the Eastern Cape further.
These revelations underscore the DA’s long-standing concerns regarding Amatola Water’s capacity to fulfil its mandate. It is unacceptable that an institution controlling a R5.2 billion budget, responsible for supplying water to municipalities across the Eastern Cape, is embroiled in such severe allegations.
Communities in Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Amathole, and other districts have already endured years of water service failures due to poor management, and these new misconduct allegations only deepen the crisis.
The DA has previously expressed strong opposition to the proposed expansion of Amatola Water’s service area to the entire province, and these latest revelations further highlight the extent of the rot within this organisation.
Amatola Water has repeatedly demonstrated that it cannot even manage the water in a limited area of the Eastern Cape. Expanding its scope of responsibility without addressing governance failures will only exacerbate the water crises residents face.
I will write to the Public Protector’s Office, which has the power to investigate, report, and remedy improper conduct in state affairs, to call for an independent investigation into the corruption allegations at Amatola Water Board.
The DA remains committed to working collaboratively towards a solution that ensures water security and restores trust in public institutions.
Water is a basic human right, and we cannot allow mismanagement and corruption to jeopardise access to this essential resource. The DA will continue to fight for transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery for all the people of the Eastern Cape.
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