South Africa has failed its people on the most basic human right of sanitation, ministerial sanitation team leader Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said yesterday.
"We need to revisit what went wrong," she said in a speech prepared for delivery at a workshop in Johannesburg.
"South Africa still faces immense challenges related to water and sanitation."
Madikizela-Mandela was unable to attend the workshop because she is recovering from surgery. Her speech was read to delegates by team member Fazel Randera.
Madikizela-Mandela said the purpose of the workshop was to "craft a solution".
"Has the government of today chosen to ignore the architectural and fundamental needs of its people?" she asked.
The ministerial team had visited all nine provinces, and local municipalities, to look at the problem of sanitation.
It had found that service delivery was not prioritised.
"This was of great concern," said Madikizela-Mandela.
She said poorly managed municipalities should be named and shamed.
"It's high time we bring back the power to the people," she said.