Mchunu defends establishment of a new SOE under DWS, says it won't be corrupt

Department of Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu.

CAPE TOWN – Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has defended the establishment of yet another state-owned entity (SOE) which will fall under his department.

He said the establishment of the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency through the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency Bill, also doesn’t mean it’s doomed to be another corrupt underperforming SOE.

Mchunu and his department briefed the water and sanitation portfolio committee on Tuesday on the various input received from oral and written submissions on the bill.

The department told MPs that the bill had not been supported by 75% of the submissions.

The bill will provide for the establishment of the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency as a state-owned company and major public entity.

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Nick Myburgh also questioned its establishment.

“How is it that we’re now creating another state-owned enterprise which will drown in its own corrupt mismanagement as time goes by? Are we simply not creating yet another monster?”

But Mchunu said corruption can be prevented.

“Let’s allow ideas of merit to prevail even above our fears for corrupt people and so on. So it won’t fall that you have an SOE and then there’s definitely corruption.”

The department said the bill sets out clear functions and NEDLAC as well as the National Treasury support the bill for the establishment of the state water agency.

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