According to the report, the National Treasury advised that about 19 million people depend on the Vaal for water (drinking, domestic and commercial use). This explains the gravity of having the Vaal River in good state.

The inquiry emanated from several media reports of ill-maintained and unrepaired faulty systems at certain sites within the Emfuleni Municipality.

Upon receiving these reports, the SAHRC instigated an inquiry into the alleged problems and conducted thorough enquiries, inspections of various sites and compiled its report.

The report extensively sets out the purpose of the inquiry; the findings and thereafter the commission’s recommendations.

The commission’s findings of several violations to human rights invites a discussion of what legal remedies may be available to the affected persons. It is important to note that notwithstanding the commission’s recommendations, most of which are aimed at ceasing the ongoing violations and guarding against the future recurrence; the affected communities may have well established legal remedies. Our primary purpose herein is to look at the legal recourse available.

Source: IOL