JOHANNESBURG - Water tankers are both a blessing and a curse in many communities across Gauteng.
This is according to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which is wrapping up its probe into the province’s water crisis.
The hearings have focused on how residents are being affected by ongoing water challenges.
According to the Commission’s Khululiwe Sithole, some communities have gone without water for up to eight months.
The Commission has been conducting this inquiry to determine whether the situation amounts to systemic human rights violations, and whether government has failed in its obligations.
"In many communities, the people have become reliant on water tankers," says Sithole.
However, the tankers are not always reliable, with some operators reportedly charging residents for water.
"Others come at night, making it unsafe for them as the community," she says.
The SAHRC will now engage with municipalities to get to the root of the problem before compiling its report.