Following last week’s visit to Hammanskraal and Rooiwal, ActionSA has committed itself to holding public hearings into the water crisis effecting these communities.

This issue has progressively gotten worse since 2005 and reached a height of media attention in 2017. Despite this, nothing has been done that has improved the situation for the residents of Hammanskraal and Rooiwal.

Instead ActionSA has communicated the revelation that a R290 million tender was awarded to a joint venture including a company owned by state capture implicated, Edwin Sodi. There appears to be no apparent benefit from this expenditure and allegations abound that no discernible work has taken place.

This is why ActionSA has announced 3 days of public hearings to be held in Hammanskraal, something which was never afforded to the residents of Hammanskraal or Rooiwal in the SAHRC hearings – which seems not to have produced any findings either.

We are currently working to finalise a panel of professionals, engineers, water specialists, human rights lawyers and religious and community leaders. This panel must be independent and credible in their work of holding Tshwane to account. The names of the panel, the dates and venue of the hearings will be communicated in due course.

These hearings will give the people of Hammanskraal and Rooiwal the opportunity to make their voices heard and for evidence to come forward about what appears to be a blatant failing of government in this matter.

ActionSA will summon the Mayor of Tshwane and other key government officials to appear before the panel. We acknowledge that these hearings will not have the power of subpoena and that such individuals are free to dodge their public duty to account. Should this be the case, it least it will be evident for all to see.

The truth is that The City of Tshwane was a disaster before 2016 and has become a nightmare since. 3 DA Executive Mayors and an ANC Provincial Administrator have failed to make any inroads into this issue.

Our sympathies lie with the residents of Hammanskraal, Rooiwal and the whole of Tshwane who continue to live as if there is no government running their City. Our only solution lies in the elections later this year, where ActionSA is committed to bringing its track record in government to the people of Tshwane.