Knysna councillors have approved a recommendation to declare the water crisis in the municipality a disaster and to discipline municipal officials accused of ignoring repeated warnings about failing infrastructure months before taps began running dry.
The decision, taken on Friday, lays the blame squarely at the door of senior administrators, directors and managers who councillors say failed to investigate water losses.
The officials are accused of dismissing community concerns and failing to take decisive action — despite being alerted as far back as six months ago that the town was hurtling towards a crisis.
The resolution taken by the council in the Knysna council chambers comes after Western Cape local government MEC Anton Bredell proposed a provincial disaster declaration for the water-scarce municipality that’s left with barely a week’s supply of water and following the devastating fires in the region.
The proposal adopted in council was raised by EFF councillor Neil Louw.
“I will not be diplomatic like the other councilors that are sitting here; mine is very frank. We warned the administration, and they have failed; they have failed the residents.
“Six months back, we spoke about this in this council chamber. We addressed it in this council chamber with this administration.”
Louw accused officials of giving false assurances when frequent water outages were experienced in communities.
He added entire communities, especially residents in Ward 3, would go for two weeks at a time without running water, prompting water tankers to be deployed to the area.
“I want to recommend that the council consider taking disciplinary action against officials who failed to ensure that the municipality’s infrastructure is upgraded and maintained, leading to the current water crisis,” Louw said.
The recommendation was seconded by ANC councillor Aubrey Tsengwa.
Gift of the Givers has assisted, delivered about 45 water tanks to assist distressed communities.
Community Services director Johnny Douglas added 20 additional water tanks would be deployed.
“We need approximately 122 tanks placed in strategic points.”
Douglas said these would be placed at the police station, municipal buildings and community centres.
Earlier this week, the level of Knysna’s main supply dam, Akkerkloof, was at just 15%.
Despite some rain, infrastructure services director Regenald Wesso said it made no impact on dam levels.
“Unfortunately, the balancing dam received no water. The water was all channeled to the water treatment works. I’ve requested the report by 12pm today on my desk.
“We reduce the flow to the treatment works and pump exclusively to the balancing dam so that we can build up reserves there.
“How the system is designed is that once the balancing dam reaches between 60% and 80%, the pumps at the balancing dam can be activated and then pumped through to Charlesford [pump station], so that we can start to pump up to the Akkerkloof dam, so that we can start replenishing the Akkerkloof Dam. However, that did not materialise,” Wesso said.
Other recommendations approved include:
- The request for the declaration of Greater Knysna Municipal Area as water-stressed and a state of declared;
- That the Garden Route District Disaster Management Centre be mandated in consultation with the Knysna Local Disaster Management Unit to co-ordinate the short- and medium-term interventions needed to address this crisis;
- That the council acknowledges with appreciation the support received thus far from the Western Cape department of local government; and
- That the council resolves that the contingency measures and the necessary preparations be made should Day Zero occur in line with the relevant policy restriction levels, as well as informing the public how to avoid Day Zero.
Water and sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina is expected to visit Knysna this weekend.
The Herald
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