The DA has slammed Johannesburg Water (JW) for failing to complete infrastructure and service delivery, following the death of a four-year-old boy who fell and drowned in a hole dug up by JW in Clay Oven informal settlement, Johannesburg, on April 6.
The DA said the tragedy could have been avoided if JW had completed and backfilled the hole. JW dug up the hole a few months ago.
DA ward councillors in the region, Vino Reddy and Annette Deppe of ward 93, took the grieving mother of the child to Sandton police station, to complete her statement and add an inquest document to the case.
The councillors requested trauma counselling for the woman who retrieved the boy from the water.
The party expressed its disappointment regarding JW’s alleged incompetence. “We are living in a city where entities like JW and ultimately the city management are failing residents by not following up on their service delivery mandate, and addressing the pertinent issues at hand. The DA will ensure the city is held accountable for quality service delivery and public safety,” said Reddy.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Jack Sekwaila; managing and executive director of JW, Ntshavheni Mukwevho; and JW chairperson, Sipho Mthembu visited the child’s family and offered condolences on Tuesday.
The Star enquired about why JW failed to fill up the hole to avoid the incident, a representative from the MMC’s office Environment and Infrastructure Service Department, Nondumiso Mabuza, said: “JW is co-operating with the investigation and until the investigation is completed, the entity cannot speculate on facts of the incident.”
Asked whether JW will compensate the family, Mabuza stated JW will assist the family with funeral arrangements. “We are in touch with the family, we will provide counselling to the parents and extended family as well as assist with funeral arrangements,” she said.
The Star