Damning report on state of East Cape water authority

THE Amatola Water Board is leaking skills, has dragged its heels for years over vital water relief projects – some still not completed – and is bogged down in unnecessary labour battles.

A confidential report reveals that the board is not fit to carry the hopes of the many institutions that depend on it for water reticulation, including struggling municipalities.

The report was compiled by a special task team assembled by Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.

It comes at a time when the province is in the grip of a long drought, with municipalities spending millions to cart water to drought-stricken areas.

The report, seen by the Herald’s sister paper the Daily Dispatch, paints a bleak picture of the relationship between the water board and its clients. Its problems include: ý Lack of transparency; ý Poor reputation; ý Absence of skilled staff; and ý Delays in project executions. However, the board says everything is under control and talks are taking place with stakeholders.

Water board spokeswoman Connie Buso-Niwa said the report had been presented to the board and its employees, and that a strategic turnaround plan was being developed.

“A stakeholder engagement process was undertaken and the organisation has instituted a number of interventions to address concerns,” she said.

Many of the people interviewed for the report – including mayors, officials and senior government employees – revealed that an exodus of skilled staff from the water board had left many projects at risk of collapse.

Sarah Baartman mayor Khunjuzwa Kekana is quoted as saying that some projects executed by the board on behalf of municipalities had experienced frustrating delays.

“These challenges are a result of lack of capacity in Amatola Water,” she said.

“Amatola [must] pull up its socks when it comes to service delivery.”

Ndlambe municipality’s technical services director, Noluthando Vithi, said she was disappointed by the board’s failure to complete projects in the municipal area.

In 2012, the board was given a project to supply bulk water infrastructure in Ndlambe.

But in the report, Vithi voices her disappointment that five years have passed without the completion of this project and others.

Some of the other projects were 80% complete, yet there was still no water reticulation, she said.

“Several meetings were held with the Amatola Water [leadership] to try [to] fast-track the execution of the project, but with minimal success,” Vithi said.

“The reasons for the delays ranged from weather and supply chain challenges to poor planning.” The Amathole and Chris Hani district municipalities were also dissatisfied with the board.

Amatola Water operates across the entire Eastern Cape Province.

It performs primary and secondary activities as specified under the Water Services Act.

According to the report, the relationship between labour union Samwu and the board was also in crisis, with wage negotiation delays and employees charged over unprotected strikes.

It was the Samwu standoff which led Mokonyane to call for a probe.

Water and Sanitation Eastern Cape regional office head Portia Makhanya complained to the task team of a lack of leadership at the board.

She said projects implemented by Amatola Water were a serious frustration to her and the benefiting municipalities.

Makhanya is responsible for ensuring that department-funded projects are implemented properly.

“The reputation of Amatola Water in the province is very poor.

“There needs to be a serious intervention to assist Amatola to become functional ,” she says.

“[The] organisational culture must change and sufficient management capacity must be procured to improve the performance of Amatola Water.”

Amatola [must] pull up its socks [with regard] to service delivery