Central Equatoria State Governor Gen. Augustino Jadallah Kamillo on Saturday threatened to withdraw the licenses of water tank owners who are not cooperating with the city authorities on water pricing.
Over a week ago, the Juba City Council (JCC) issued new water prices for the various suburbs and areas on the city’s outskirts but the move was rejected by water suppliers who responded by downing tools, leaving city residents without water.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the two JCC deputy Mayors and other state officials who were appointed on Friday through a gubernatorial decree, Jadallah directed the city administration to address the water challenge by meeting the association of water tank owners and operators.
“What I want to suggest here when you take your offices, plus your leader the mayor, is for you to call the association of water tank drivers and sit with them. If somebody does not want to work, you just take the license and let him park the tank because we are not going to kneel to those people and I also want our people to know their rights,” he said. “Now, those who have resources are calling the water tank drivers and they pay the price the drivers need and this is a violation and South Sudanese do not want to get their rights.”
Jadallah added: “We were summoned to parliament and the MPs were serious that the (water) prices must come down, we did so, and the mayor was very frank that we need support from the legislators if there is any resistance.”
The governor stressed that now that the water suppliers are resisting JCC directives, the National Legislature must also summon their union because they are not operating on their own.
“I want to assure you that we will protect you (JCC), this government is our government and we will stand by you, this is business and even if the water tank owners park their trucks for the whole month, their homes will also starve and they will come back,” Governor Jadallah stated.
On the issue of waste management, he advised JCC authorities to divide the city into zones and allot them to garbage collection companies for easy management of garbage collection.
“Divide the city into zones then allot them to companies so that you can account. It cannot be that the government collects money and takes garbage for free. Right now the garbage from Gudele, Munuki, etc is collected for free, residents are not paying,” he said. “Also, go and implement this: No resident should carry their garbage to the roads. The quarter council should go and work, last time we held a meeting and decided quarter councils should be given the powers, and also you have to take polyethylene bags and distribute them to homes and after that, you charge them.”
He warned that if the JCC does not distribute polythene bags to collect garbage, residents will continue dumping waste on the roads.
For his part, Deputy Mayor for Administration and Finance Thiik Thiik Mayardit assured the governor of his commitment to deliver services and pledged to protect the rights of the South Sudanese people according to the law.
“I want to assure you that I will take up my assignment with all my strength and will not let the people of South Sudan down,” he stated. “I will be dealing with people who want to put the people of South Sudan into the mud by the law and not force.”