Secunda – After a fortnight without potable water, residents of Secunda, Mpumalanga, have been invited to sign a petition to press authorities to fix the supply problem.
The petition states that: “Our community in Secunda, Mpumalanga, is in crisis.
“For over 13 days now, we have been without a reliable water supply, turning a fundamental human need into a daily struggle.
“The impact of this extended water outage is more than just an inconvenience; it has disrupted our lives, affected our hygiene, and impacted the health of our families.”
Businesses are suffering, schools are finding it difficult to maintain sanitary conditions, and hospitals are operating under severe strain.
The South African Constitution, under Section 27, explicitly guarantees the right to have access to sufficient water.
“This is not merely a promise; it is a lawful obligation that requires the government to implement reasonable measures to ensure this right is progressively realised,” the petition says.
“The ongoing negligence of the Govan Mbeki Municipality in Secunda is a blatant violation of our constitutional rights and an affront to our dignity.
“We are calling on the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate this serious breach of our rights by the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
“We deserve accountability and immediate action to restore our water supply.”
The Govan Mbeki Municipality’s debt to Rand Water has ballooned to approximately R850 million, largely due to worsening financial circumstances.
The municipality has struggled since 2018 to settle these obligations.
The water throttling affects multiple communities across the region.
The water restrictions impact eMbalenhle, Leandra, Kinross, Evander, Secunda, Trichardt, Bethal, and eMzinoni, with particularly severe effects in high-lying areas of Secunda including Extensions 22 and 23, upper Voortrekker Street, and the Albany area.
The petition also demands that the municipality be held responsible and compelled to take immediate steps to resolve this crisis.
“Support this petition to urge the South African Human Rights Commission to step in and protect our rights,” urged the petition invitation.
“Our community’s well-being depends on it.
“Please sign this petition to stand in solidarity with Secunda and ensure access to water is recognised as a priority by those in power.”
