House Chairperson, in noting this Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, the ACDP has consistently affirmed that water is not merely a commodity—access to water is a constitutional right. We welcomed the legislative refinement of the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency earlier this year, which sought to strengthen governance and accountability in this sector.
The challenges, however, remain stark. The Portfolio Committee itself cautioned in April that ineffective planning, poor project management and corruption continue to impede delivery. Communities across the country have voiced frustration on social media about unfinished projects and dry taps—a reality acknowledged during the Department’s Fraud Awareness Week, where service failures were linked directly to corruption.
We commend the Department for achieving an unqualified audit opinion, but this must translate into clean water for every household and functioning sanitation systems.
The ACDP calls for urgent corrective action, transparent reporting, and ethical stewardship of resources. Water scarcity and mismanagement is life altering for the worse, and erodes community pride and trust. This situation must be turned around and, as legislators, we must ensure that every rand spent delivers the life-giving water that our people need.
I thank you.
