"In the Ugu district municipality, in Margate and Hibberdene, no water has been available for five months, yet residents are billed in full. "Complainants report that Leisure Bay is characterised by water interruptions, breaking infrastructure, and poor management. "In Margate, complainants reported that they are billed for sewage services, without getting this service, and tourism is affected in this town," said the SAHRC report. The CEO of SCTIE, Phelisa Mangcu, said the spokesperson for the municipality, France Zama, recently announced that static tanks were replenished daily as an interim measure, while the municipality fasttracks the restoration process ACCORDING to a report by the South African Human Rights Commission, some residents in Ugu District Municipality have had no water for five months but were billed in full. I ARCHIVES to ensure supply is fully restored. She said the municipality said it had longterm turnaround plans in place, supported by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, that will improve water supply to the area, including the installation of boreholes, major pipeline replacements, and refurbishing electrical and mechanical infrastructure, among other things. "We trust that the new measures being put in place and the commitments made by Ugu District Municipality will have a positive impact on the water supply to the region," she said. Moreover, she said they were fortunate that despite the water challenges the KZN South Coast continued to enjoy increasing tourism numbers.

The report said Port Edward residents reported that they have received no water for weeks, without water tankers provided to deliver water to communities, yet they continued to be billed by the municipality. Port Shepstone complainants reported that they had not received water for weeks, and there is no evidence of infrastructure maintenance over the past 25 years. Ramsgate complainants noted that they had been without water for more than 100 days, while residents in Southbroom reported no access to water for more than two weeks. Zama,said they were going to study the contents of the report and thereafter formulate their perspective on its findings and accordingly initiate an applicable plan of action. The SAHRC recommended that the Department of Water and Sanitation annually monitor municipalities' implementation of Blue Drop and Green Drop report findings, including technical measures proposed, and report to the commission on an annual basis. "Where appropriate, invoke powers in terms of section 139 of the Constitution, to put municipalities under administration for failing to deliver water," said the SAHRC.

Source:Daily News