Parliament, Sunday, 25 August 2019 – The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation has urged the Department of Water and Sanitation to urgently implement key deliverables of the financial recovery plan of the department. The key pillar of the plan is strengthening governance and compliance, as well as consequence management within the department.
The department gave a detailed plan on how it plans to deal with the R1.6 billion in accruals that has been a yoke on the department’s neck for a while now. This includes the department being used as a pilot project for the implementation of the Public Audit Amendment Act, consequence management and condonation applications with the National Treasury. “The committee welcomes the commitment, openness and ideas on how the department aims to deal with the issue of the accruals. We have hope that this matter will be resolved in the short- and medium-term,” said Ms Machwene Semenya, the Chairperson of the committee.
While the committee is cognisant of the fact that the servicing of the accruals will have an impact on the implementation of new projects, it is of the view that these accruals must be resolved. After resolving the current accruals, the department must ensure that its systems are strengthened to ensure that it doesn’t find itself facing the same challenges again. The committee has resolved that the issue of the accruals will be a standing item on its programme, where the department will report on an ongoing basis progress in servicing the accruals.
The committee welcomes the assurance that the filling of critical positions is being prioritised. These include the position of Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Directors within the finance units, and Inspectors to monitor compliance by municipalities. The committee is of the view that the filling of these positions is critical if the department is to effectively implement its financial recovery plan.
The committee remains concerned about the debt levels within the water sector as it has a direct downstream and upstream impact. It is unsustainable that at the end of 30 June 2019, water sales debt amounted to R14.824 billion, which represents an average increase of 2% from March 2019. “There is an urgent need to the address non-payment of water by municipalities which impact on the water boards’ ability to pay the department. While we acknowledge interventions by the department, the committee is of the view that this matter must be resolved at Cabinet level,” said Ms Semenya.
The Hammanskraal water problem issue remains a huge concern for the committee. While the committee is cognisant of the broader Waste Water Treatment infrastructure challenge in the country that pollutes our river system, the committee has urged the department to deal with the roots of the problem, to avoid a downstream budgetary burden on the entire system. “If we spend more money cleaning water, it means water boards will charge municipalities more to provide water, which will mean a higher price for water to the end user. If the problem is dealt with at an infrastructure level where there are challenges, then further costs will be avoided,” Ms Semenya said.
The committee will, during its strategic session next week with the department, take time to visit Hammanskraal to see if there are interventions to remedy the situation in Hammanskraal.
On consequence management, the committee welcomes the dismissal of 13 officials, resignation of 23 officials, 19 final written warnings and 34 final written warning letters issued. The committee remains adamant that everyone who is found to be guilty must be subjected to the full might of the law.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WATER AND SANITATION, MS MACHWENE SEMENYA.
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