DA leader John Steenhuisen addressing party members outside the eThekwini municipal offices. Photo by Mbali Dlungwana
THE Democratic Alliance (DA) will file a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the eThekwini Municipality.
This was announced by DA leader John Steenhuisen on Saturday, 20 January, during a picket in front of Durban City Hall.
Steenhuisen led a protest outside the eThekwini municipal offices to dissolve the ANC-EFF-led municipality and officially launch the party's campaign to save KZN in the 2024 general elections.
The DA is calling for the dissolution of the council to save eThekwini, where it also outlined its plan.
Steenhuisen announced that the DA will lodge a complaint with the SAHRC against the eThekwini Municipality for breaching the Bill of Rights.
He said the right to water, human dignity and a liveable environment had been shredded in this city.
"In addition to the fight to the eThekwini council, the DA is also preparing a nationwide campaign to highlight the urgent threat posed to every citizen by the ANC-engineered collapse of our water infrastructure.
He said people have become used to living without job opportunities, without good schools and without functioning hospitals.
"But it's also time to face the other side of this coin. For decades, the ANC has cynically exploited the resilience of South Africans for political gain. Among the many empty words you will hear from Cyril Ramaphosa is his claim that South Africans are 'resilient'. Let me tell you today: he does not mean that as a compliment," Steenhuisen said.
He said when the ANC praises the resilience of South Africans, they are laughing at you.
"The ANC has convinced itself that South Africans will never hold them accountable for everything they've taken away from us. But I'm here today with an urgent warning. There's one thing that the ANC is taking away from the people of eThekwini, in KZN and throughout South Africa. This is something that we will not be able to live without. It's something we cannot just work around," he said.
He said eThekwini has already reached stage 16 water scarcity under the ANC government and that areas such as Bester have had no water for 14 years.
"Instead of repairing the infrastructure, the eThekwini Municipality had put out tenders for water tankers, which often did not arrive," he said.
He said there's always money for the cadres to live in luxury and then "they tell us there's no money to fix water pipes".
This was announced by DA leader John Steenhuisen on Saturday, 20 January, during a picket in front of Durban City Hall.
Steenhuisen led a protest outside the eThekwini municipal offices to dissolve the ANC-EFF-led municipality and officially launch the party's campaign to save KZN in the 2024 general elections.
The DA is calling for the dissolution of the council to save eThekwini, where it also outlined its plan.
Steenhuisen announced that the DA will lodge a complaint with the SAHRC against the eThekwini Municipality for breaching the Bill of Rights.
He said the right to water, human dignity and a liveable environment had been shredded in this city.
"In addition to the fight to the eThekwini council, the DA is also preparing a nationwide campaign to highlight the urgent threat posed to every citizen by the ANC-engineered collapse of our water infrastructure.
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"Let us make a plan to rescue KZN from the water crisis. South Africans have gotten used to living without things that are taken for granted in other democracies. We have become accustomed to living without a government that looks after us and values taxes. We have become accustomed to living without a police service to keep us safe," he said.
He said people have become used to living without job opportunities, without good schools and without functioning hospitals.
"But it's also time to face the other side of this coin. For decades, the ANC has cynically exploited the resilience of South Africans for political gain. Among the many empty words you will hear from Cyril Ramaphosa is his claim that South Africans are 'resilient'. Let me tell you today: he does not mean that as a compliment," Steenhuisen said.
He said when the ANC praises the resilience of South Africans, they are laughing at you.
"The ANC has convinced itself that South Africans will never hold them accountable for everything they've taken away from us. But I'm here today with an urgent warning. There's one thing that the ANC is taking away from the people of eThekwini, in KZN and throughout South Africa. This is something that we will not be able to live without. It's something we cannot just work around," he said.
He said eThekwini has already reached stage 16 water scarcity under the ANC government and that areas such as Bester have had no water for 14 years.
"Instead of repairing the infrastructure, the eThekwini Municipality had put out tenders for water tankers, which often did not arrive," he said.
He said there's always money for the cadres to live in luxury and then "they tell us there's no money to fix water pipes".
