uThukela water crisis: DA seeks court order to compel municipal action

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) said it will approach the court to compel the uThukela district municipality to deliver water to its residents.

The party said the municipality has evaded numerous calls for water to be supplied to its communities.

During a media briefing in Durban on Thursday, the DA spoke against the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)'s Mayor, Inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala, for failing to deliver services. 

It said it's now seeking a court order to force the mayor to comply with its demands.

Despite a report by the South African Human Rights Commission flagging service delivery failures by the KZN municipality, the DA said very little has been done.

The DA said for the past six years, it has been fighting for residents to have access to water with no success.

The party also claims that various council motions in this regard have been ignored or sabotaged. 

The DA’s Maliyakhe Shelembe said, “This failure by the IFP has led to the collapse of water infrastructure and leaving thousands without water supply. Corruption has left the municipality with no money available to render services and to pay staff.”

Shelembe added that it's time action is taken on what he terms rampant corruption.

“It cannot be that after 30 years of democracy, people of uThukela have no water infrastructure, no water in their taps due to corruption by the officials employed by the IFP, at the same time shielded by the IFP.”

The IFP is yet to respond to Eyewitness News’ query for a right of reply.