URGENT REQUEST FOR PROVISION OF WATER TANKS, RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION PACKS TO COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) issued an urgent request to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu of the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation on June 1, 2020, demanding immediate intervention for over 200 communities lacking access to water and basic sanitation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) reports that over 200 communities have been identified as lacking access to water, a figure that includes data from the SAWC, the C19 Women’s Solidarity Forum, and the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign.
• The SAWC expressed concern over the Department of Water and Sanitation's (DWS) hotline, citing issues with accessibility for rural residents who lack telephones or network coverage, and the tendency of the hotline to refer callers back to ineffective municipal and provincial departments.
• The document highlights a failure by the government to fulfill constitutional obligations, placing the health and safety of thousands of people in more than 60 communities at risk despite public commitments from Minister Sisulu and President Cyril Ramaphosa to protect vulnerable populations during the pandemic.
• In the Western Cape, severe water and sanitation deficits are reported across multiple areas: the Shukushukuma, Esibheshe, and Bhekela communities in Mfuleni lack proper toilets and water, leading residents to relieve themselves in wetlands and the Kuilsriver catchment; residents in Nduli, Tulbagh, and Wolseley have lacked water tanks or improved sanitation for 6-7 years; and farm dwellers in Robertson reported receiving only 200 litres of water every second day.
• In Limpopo, critical water shortages are documented in several villages. In Steenbokpan and Shongoane, water tanks have been dry for five years, forcing women to walk kilometres or pay unaffordable prices (up to R500 for 2500 litres). In Sekutlong Village, residents have used the Motsi River, which has been polluted by mining since 2017.
• The Eastern Cape shows widespread infrastructure failure. In the Centane region, 600 households lack water access; in the Mbhashe Local Municipality, the Mendwana community relies on a distant natural spring. In the Mbizana Local Municipality, villages like Ndakeni, Malanda, and Maqgabasi have never had water infrastructure and rely on muddy puddles.
• Reports from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal indicate severe shortages. In Mpumalanga's Phola/Ogies area, women are reportedly turned away by police while attempting to collect water during lockdown. In KwaZulu-Natal's Somkhele community, a single water tanker provides only 2,500 litres of water on Wednesdays for an estimated population of 5,791.
• In Gauteng and the Free State, sanitation is a primary concern. In Gauteng's Tjovitjo Informal Settlement, five families share one portable toilet that has not been sanitized since the start of lockdown. In the Free State, formal settlements in Botshabelo lack proper toilets and rely on bucket or pit systems.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2020). URGENT REQUEST FOR PROVISION OF WATER TANKS, RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION PACKS TO COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SAWC-letter-to-Minister-Sisulu-1-June-2020.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. URGENT REQUEST FOR PROVISION OF WATER TANKS, RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION PACKS TO COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER. 2020. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SAWC-letter-to-Minister-Sisulu-1-June-2020.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=URGENT REQUEST FOR PROVISION OF WATER TANKS, RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION PACKS TO COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER |date=1 June 2020 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SAWC-letter-to-Minister-Sisulu-1-June-2020.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2020urgent, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{URGENT REQUEST FOR PROVISION OF WATER TANKS, RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION PACKS TO COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SAWC-letter-to-Minister-Sisulu-1-June-2020.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }