Media Statement on disbanding of the Amatola Water Board
04 MAY 2020
Media Statement on disbanding of the Amatola Water Board
After rigorous discussions and following consultation with the Minister, a decision to agree to the Board’s request to be disbanded was taken by the Minister of Human Settlement, Water and Sanitation, the Honourable Lindiwe Sisulu. The Minister supported the call and decision by the Board, given the nature of our business and to ensure clean governance. This decision was not taken lightly and the Board felt it was necessary to step aside to allow for the process to unfold. It had become a matter of fiduciary responsibility for the Board to request the Minister to intervene, informed by the need to improve the reputation of the Water Board to stakeholders and customers at large. More so, this had become necessary, given that there has been so much misinformation in social media, for the Board to set the record straight in as far as their fiduciary role is concerned.
The Board has therefore resolved on the following:
- The Interim Board steps aside in its oversight responsibilities assigned by the Minister, to allow the Board to be under legal administration.
- The Interim Board allows the Minister to appoint a permanent board, which will provide sustainable good governance and clean administration of the Amatola Water Board.
- The stepping aside of the Board members to be with immediate effect.
- The Board thanked the Minister for trusting the interim board members in their ability to execute their fiduciary responsibilities with diligence.
Amatola Water would like to applaud the Board’s decision to ask the Minister to disband the Board while there is these ongoing investigations. This in no way is an indictment of the Board but merely as part of the fiduciary and oversight role performed by the Board. It must be stressed that the Board is not under investigation but merely wanted to ensure that they provide a platform for the shareholder to institute a process to look at the business of Amatola Water. This will be done through the appointment of a team to take over the legal administration of the Amatola Water Board. The Board supports the Minister’s intervention to appoint a legal administration team to work with the Acting Chief Executive and the staff of Amatola Water.
Amatola Management and staff would like to thank the Board for their leadership of Amatola Water during their tenure. It must be noted that all decisions taken by the Board remains valid and in force. This includes investigations into the CE, who was recently placed on precautionary suspension with full pay.
We would like to assure our stakeholders and our communities that there will be no disruptions of services during this period. Amatola Water continues to operate and function as normal and our main function is to ensure the security of water supply for all. We will not fail you.
Issued by
Nosisa Sogayise
Communications and Stakeholder Management
0833577953 / 0437073437
