Paying Without Access: Service Delivery Inequalities and Water Deprivation in Esikhaleni Township, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Abstract Book of the 12th International Academic Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences

Year: 2026

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Paying Without Access: Service Delivery Inequalities and Water Deprivation in Esikhaleni Township, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Mthandeni Mbatha

ABSTRACT:

This paper examines the paradox of water access in Black townships with particular focus on Esikhaleni, KwaZulu Natal. The citizens face chronic water challenges despite paying municipal rates and taxes. This experience indicates a disconnect between contribution and service delivery. The study draws on the constitutional rights to water, urban inequality theories and the legacy of apartheid pertaining to special planning. The article investigates governance failures that perpetuate apartheid legacies. Using critical analysis of service delivery patterns, municipal accountability measures and community experiences, the study posits that the deprivation of water supply to rate paying township is not only a deep crisis but a great violation of human rights. The paper calls for equitable redistribution of resources as a basis of strengthening democratic accountability and ensuring that municipalities fulfil their constitutional mandate to provide basic services to all citizens.

Keywords: Water, Human Rights, Esikhaleni, Black Townships, Rates