Officials from Johannesburg Water say every citizen in the municipality receives the same treatment when they lodge complaints such as sewer blockages. Residents of Alexandra, north of the city, have accused Joburg Water of responding urgently to complaints from residents of neighbouring affluent areas.
City officials have been making submissions before the Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector’s Office in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
The two Chapter Nine institutions are probing alleged maladministration and corruption regarding the Alex Renewal Project.
They are also probing the eruption of protests in the township in the run-up to elections and the possible violation of human rights. “If you look at the current financial year, we received 1286 sewer blockages that were reported, 96.5% were cleared within 24 hours. Similarly, 220 burst pipes were reported, Alex only and out of that 90.18% were attended to,” says Joburg Water’s Nthaveni Mukwevho.
The Public Protector and SAHRC Inquiry into allegations of human rights violations and others in Alexandra is continuing today in Johannesburg pic.twitter.com/FoPjNojTCC
— Public Protector SA (@PublicProtector) May 14, 2019
