Water is non-negotiable – AfriForum wants answers

The Department of Water and Sanitation confirmed with AfriForum that it would be investigating complaints of financial mismanagement in this Department. This follows after AfriForum had sent an urgent letter to Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of this Department.

In its letter, AfriForum had requested specific documents, among other financial statements, from the Department, and the Minister had been given the opportunity to state her side of the matter. “The misappropriation of public funds is busy ruining the intentions of water services in South Africa. This leads to communities’ taps running dry,” says Chris Boshoff, AfriForum’s Environmental Coordinator.

Boshoff further argues that this type of mismanagement constitutes a criminal act in terms of the Public Finances Management Act, 1999. Article 86 clearly states that even negligent mismanagement may lead to criminal prosecution. “South Africa is a water-scarce country and we cannot allow the mismanagement of this resource,” says Boshoff.