Gauteng water woes ‘self-inflicted’ - Majodina
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina stressed on Tuesday that while there were water supply issues in Gauteng, the province is not experiencing a drought.
Giving an update on developments in her department after 100 days in office, Majodina said the province’s water woes were self-inflicted.
Gauteng municipalities have implemented level 1 water restrictions as part of the interventions recommended by the national and provincial governments.
Majodina said the shortages could have been avoided had municipalities heeded warnings from her department.
“It’s the self-inflicted pain of municipalities in Gauteng, because we warned the municipalities of Gauteng as early as June to take care of the water infrastructure because they were losing lots of water.
“It’s important to state that there is no drought in Gauteng. However, the province is experiencing water security challenges which include credit management issues, water losses, aging infrastructure, illegal connections, illegal mining and servitude encroachment,” Majodina explained.
INTERVENTION IN KWAZULU-NATAL
The minister also reported on eThekwini’s ongoing water supply, sewage and pollution problems.
Majodina said Umgeni-uThukela Water Board and the Presidential eThekwini Working Group are major role players in addressing the City's water supply and sanitation challenges.
"Including the construction of uMkhomazi Water that we will be visiting on the 7th [of Novemer]. The construction of Ngwadini Dam and the new water treatment plant at the lower uMkhomazi River by the water board, but also we have handed over the Hazelmere Dam Water upgraded to meet water needs of the growing population of the north coast of eThekwini."
She revealed that the ministry receives over 250 complaints from communities countrywide daily on water security issues, which they do attend to.
"Most of the complaints are about water-related functions of municipalities such as pipe bursts, leakages, water tankers, disruptions of the supply of water, shortage of boreholes, water diversions by farmers, and water pollution."
Majodina said one of her ministry’s first priorities upon assuming office was to meet with all seven water boards where it emerged that revenue collection was a key challenge.
As of 24 June 2024, the municipalities' debt to the water boards stood at R22 billion.
Additional reporting by Lauren Hendricks
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