SAMWU calls on municipalities to immediately fill vacancies

The South African Weather Service has indicated that there is no sign of rains that will adequately bring up the water levels. The situation has now reached a crisis point and requires tough measures from government and all citizens to ensure our existence.

According to SAMWU, municipalities are undoubtedly at the fore front of the delivery of basic services including water, yet municipal vacancies are at an alarming rate. “Recently released data by Statistics South Africa, the Free State province which has since become one of the driest parts of the country as a result of the drought, has the highest municipal water management vacancy rate followed by North West and KwaZulu Natal, all provinces which have been hardest hit by the drought,” SAMWU deputy general secretary Simon Mathe said.

In total South Africa has 42 998 vacancies in municipal water management. The municipality with the highest rate is Tokologo in the Free State with a staggering 70.8% vacancy rate, followed by Westonaria (65.3%), Polokwane (63,5%), Matjhabeng (63,3%) and AbaQulusi in KwaZulu Natal with a 60.3% vacancy rate. Metropolitan Municipalities have also shown high vacancy rates in water management with Mangaung topping the charts with 22%, Nelson Mandela Bay 19.7%, Buffalo City 16% and Ekurhuleni with 15.5%.

Municipalities have not shown any interest in reducing the vacancy rates as they continue to employ people through precarious conditions such as contracts. The 42 998 vacancies nationally can be a major boost in the reduction of the high levels of unemployment in the country and further increase the tax base which will translate into more revenue for government.

SAMWU has demanded that municipalities, in the interest of ensuring water security for the country, immediately fill all vacancies. “We further demand the immediate filling of vacancies for non-water related vacancies and the immediate stop of the use of EPWP for the delivery of services in municipalities,” Mathe said.

SAMWU claims that the country’s 278 municipalities will this financial year be expected to deliver basic services to over 50 million people on a shoe string budget of R98 billion which is 9% of government expenditure while Provincial and National Government each received over 40% with fewer priorities. SAMWUS therefore demanded that National Treasury prioritise Local Government by fairly dividing the equitable share.

Municipalities should prioritise infrastructure development and ensure that the ageing and decaying water infrastructure is repaired and where necessary replaced as over 30% of water is lost through leakages. The Department of Water and Sanitation should be reprimanded for its failure to spend over R2 billion of its budget, money that could have otherwise be redirected to municipal water infrastructure projects.

SAMWU is concerned at the long term effects that water shortages will have on the working class as this will result in the increase in food prices coupled with the recent unjustifiable interest rate hike by the Reserve Bank.

“We therefore call on government, in particular the Department of Water and Sanitation, National Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to work together to ensure that municipal vacancies are filled. We further urge SALGA to have an urgent meeting with National Treasury to demand an increase in the equitable share to Local Government as this will increase the quality and quantity of services being rendered by municipalities,” Mathe said.

South Africans also have a role in ensuring water preservation, we urge South Africans particularly those in the suburbs to ensure that they conserve water as they are the largest domestic consumers after industries.