Picture: Taung Dam
By OBAKENG MAJE
24 August 2026– The residents of the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality have expressed overwhelming support for the Water Services Amendment Bill (B24-2025), while calling for effective mechanisms to ensure that the proposed legislation translates into tangible improvements in water and sanitation services. The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation conducted the first of three public participation sessions in the North West at the Depot Hall in Taung, where residents welcomed the Bill, emphasising that its success would ultimately depend on enforced effective implementation.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, Leon Basson said the participants cautioned against the culture of well-intentioned legislation with poor or no implementation on the ground. Basson said they argued that poor implementation of the Bill diminishes the purpose of legislation and more importantly, denies communities’ constitutional rights to access quality water and sanitation services.
He further said a significant concern raised during the hearing was municipalities’ poor performance in providing reliable, quality water services. Basson added that participants expressed their hope in the Bill that it would lay new foundations of accountability and a culture of performance in the municipalities and of forcing water service providers to deliver on their obligations.
“Participants also welcomed the Bill’s provisions on consequence management for licence holders, stressing that the possibility of sanctions, including the forfeiture of a licence, could lead to water service providers improving their performance and ensuring better service delivery.
“Some community members described the Bill as a direct response to their longstanding concerns and prayers for improved water services. They argued that many of the challenges experienced by communities are rooted in poor governance and management at the municipal level,” he said.
Basson said calls were also made for stronger law enforcement to address alleged corruption within local government. He said participants argued that corrupt practices and poor governance contribute directly to failures in the provision of water services and that those responsible should be held accountable.
“Participants further called for improved communication channels through which residents can report poor or inadequate water services. They argued that effective enforcement of the proposed licensing regime would require communities to be able to provide information to the relevant licensing authorities about service-delivery failures.
“Participants also called for greater transparency, including public access to information on approved licence holders, as a means of strengthening accountability and enabling communities to know which entities are authorised to provide water services and what obligations they are required to fulfil,” said Basson.
He said the proposed enforcement powers of the Minister were also supported by participants, who also argued that the ability of the Minister to intervene where water service providers persistently fail to deliver quality services could help prevent lengthy delays in addressing serious service-delivery failures. Basson said although the public hearing focused on the provisions of the Bill, community members also used the opportunity to bring their immediate water challenges to the attention of the committee.
“In Taung, participants raised concerns about the perceived disconnect between the area’s water resources and the services received by local communities. Some participants told the committee that in spite of the existence of a dam with water in Taung, local communities do not sufficiently benefit from this water resource.
“They alleged that the dam supplies water to other areas. Another major concern was the overreliance on water tankers as a means of addressing water shortages. Participants argued that tanker provision is costly and often irregular, leaving communities without reliable access to water. Concerns were also raised over municipalities purchasing water tankers when, in the view of participants, those resources could be better utilised to address underlying infrastructure and service-delivery challenges,” said Basson.
The Guardian 