By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
5 September 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Rustenburg said it welcomes the visit by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to Phatsima, following its formal complaint about the community’s prolonged lack of access to water. The DA said for far too long, residents of Phatsima have been forced to live under inhumane conditions due to the failure of the Rustenburg Local Municipality and Magalies Water to provide a consistent and reliable water supply.
DA PR councillor in Rustenburg Local Municipality, Nelio Nhacuangue, said this ongoing crisis denies residents their basic constitutional right to water, as guaranteed in Section 27 of the Constitution. Nhacuangue said they have repeatedly raised this matter with both the municipality and Magalies Water, but meaningful action has been minimal.
“It is therefore encouraging that the SAHRC has stepped in to investigate this serious violation of human rights.
“To ensure residents’ voices are heard, the DA caucus in Rustenburg has resolved to conduct an oversight tour, together with its national counterparts, across the Magalies and Rand Water supply areas,” she said.
Nhacuangue further said with the recent site visit, residents have confirmed that the situation has improved. She added that, however, they believe further improvement is possible once the water leaks identified in the area are repaired.
“We have logged these complaints with the Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) and will follow up within a week. In addition, we will write to the Unit Manager to ensure that the leaks identified are attended to.
“The DA will continue to hold the municipality and water authorities accountable until every resident of Phatsima has access to safe, uninterrupted water,” said Nhacuangue.
The Guardian 