SA's water crisis | Persistent complaints about lack of water

JOHANNESBURG - Nearly thirty-years into South Africa's democracy, and communities are still grappling with access to one of the basic human rights, clean running water.

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Over a million people in Limpopo have none. The South African Human Rights Commission found that ten municipalities there were failing to supply water to communities.

The Commission’s Provincial Manager, Victor Mavhidula said, "I can confirm that our investigation started a long time ago, I must also indicate that we have been receiving complaints from public members regarding water shortages in the province." 

"So, what we did, we decided that to have a hearing back in 2021. During the hearing or the inquiry, people came and made presentations and we also invited government departments that are responsible for water supply in the province."

"The hearing that took place in 2021, but just at the beginning of this year- we also revisited the areas where people are complaining about water an we found that the situation is still the same: the people are not getting water."

"So, that is our concern, and we think that this situation needs to change an what is problematic, is that the majority of those villages that does not have water, those things are happening while our dams are almost full." "It is not about the shortage of water, it is about the failure to take water to the people."