Big promises, little change? Concerns over Ramaphosa’s water and crime crackdown

Despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s promise to deal with the water crisis, illegal miners and gang violence, scepticism remains. 

Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee, which he will chair, as well as the deployment of the army to combat gang violence and illegal mining.

RELATED: Ramaphosa to deploy soldiers in WC, Gauteng to quell gang violence, illegal mining

Speaking to 702’s Bongani Bingwa, veteran journalist Ferial Haffajee explained that similar committees have been established in the past without fundamental change. 

She emphasised the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis, including corruption and inadequate infrastructure.

“In Joburg, we have three or four kinds of structures, and they are clearly not talking to each other because we are not seeing the changes on the ground.

RELATED: Civil society calls for Joburg water crisis to be declared a national disaster

“My experience of the city is that if you don’t change the governing body of the entities or the board that supplies water, then you have the same extractive patterns that have resulted in what we are seeing in Joburg.

To listen to Haffajee in conversation with 702’s Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: