Submission by COSATU on Finding
Solutions to Address Vandalism and
Theft of Water Infrastructure
25 November 2014
Submitted to the
Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Sanitation
National Assembly
Parliament
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1
2. UNDERLYING CAUSES ..................................................................................... 1
3. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ..................................................................................... 3
4. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 4
1. INTRODUCTION
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes and supports the
initiative by the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Sanitation to identify
solutions to address vandalism and theft of water infrastructure.
Whilst these public hearings are different from ones that would accompany a Bill or
policy etc., they are nonetheless critical as a step towards addressing a critical
human rights and service delivery challenge facing all South Africans.
Whilst not purporting to present a comprehensive list of all solutions to this ticking
time bomb, COSATU’s submission seeks to assist the Portfolio Committee in its
correct efforts.
2. UNDERLYING CAUSES
The challenges facing South Africa’s water infrastructure are numerous yet often do
receive the public attention that they should command. Key linkages underpinning
these challenges can be said to be the historical legacies of neglect from centuries of
colonial and apartheid rule, as well as democratic South Africa’s triple challenges of
unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Key causes of vandalism and theft of water infrastructure can be said to include the
following:
1

Centuries of neglect of water infrastructure from colonial to apartheid rule,
especially for Black and rural communities.
o In 1994 it was estimated that only 30% of households had access to
clean water tap within 200 metres.
Whilst government has done
excellent work to increase this to an estimated 80% of households,
massive challenges still remain. These include that many households
still do not have water connections in their homes, the plight of informal
settlements on private land where municipalities are not allowed to
install water connections etc;

Insufficient investment in water infrastructure since 1994.
o A key challenge has been that many municipalities are not able to
balance their budgets and have thus often neglected aging water
infrastructure;

Privatisation of water services in some municipalities;

35% unemployment levels;

Jobless economic growth;

Profitable illegal trade in copper and other materials used in infrastructure,
water and electricity etc.;

Insufficient capacity levels in the South African Police Service;

Growing
sense
of
alienation
and
increasing
gaps
between
public
representatives and government and the public at large;
o Whilst South Africa enjoys a positive average registered voter turnout
of approximately 70% in our national and provincial elections; the same
cannot be said for local government elections where turn out averages
approximately 50% of registered voters. A further area of concern is
the large numbers of unregistered potential voters. If those are taken
with the number of registered voters who did not vote in the 2014
elections, then an estimated 17 million potentially eligible voters did not
see the need to vote.
2
o Whilst the right to protest is enshrined and protected in law and the
Constitution, the large numbers of service delivery and other protests
and their often violent ending, is a matter of concern. Whilst they raise
a variety of socio-economic concerns, key amongst them have been
issues of water delivery and cut offs, corruption and absent Councillors;
and

Lack of public ownership of government infrastructure development plans.
3. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
The Portfolio Committee does not have an easy task in finding solutions to this
ticking time bomb. COSATU can make the following suggestions for consideration
and inclusion as components of a comprehensive solution:

A national water plan that takes into account South Africa’s aging water and
energy infrastructure;

Urgently upgrade and maintain water infrastructure;

Community ownership of government infrastructure plans;

Reverse the instances of privatisation of water services in municipalities;

Increase the allocation of free and subsidised water for the poor and tariff
levels charged to the affluent and high users;

Increase water conservation efforts;

Addressing the gaps between public representatives and the different levels
of government and communities;

Address service delivery back logs;

Adequate security provisions for the safeguarding of the infrastructure;

A sufficiently capacitated SAPS at a local level;

Creation of decent permanent municipal and government jobs through the
infrastructure development plan as opposed to temporary cheap labour via
the Expanded Public and Community Works Programmes;

Dealing with the worrying levels of corruption, wasteful and under expenditure
at all levels of government;
3

Avoid massive water tariff hikes, (as compared to ESKOM’s massive above
inflation continuous prices increases; and

Building a new culture amongst all South Africans based upon respect for the
rule of law and a sense of public ownership. (For example looking at the
successes of New York and Singapore’s broken window philosophy of dealing
with small crimes to prevent them escalating.
4. CONCLUSION
COSATU welcomes and supports this important initiative by the Portfolio Committee
to find solutions to this pressing crisis facing South Africa.
Whilst not providing a comprehensive road map for the Committee, we hope that our
inputs will assist the Committee in identifying both the causes and possible solutions.
The Committee is correct that there is an urgent need for a comprehensive national
water plan. We believe that the above issues should be key components to such a
plan. As seen with the massive electricity crisis facing South Africa, such a plan is
needed today and should not be left unattended until the crisis explodes.
We would remain available for any further engagements on both this and any issue
that the Committee would want to discuss.
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