Sisulu: Cuban water experts ‘can show us another way’
Updated | By Nokukhanya N Mntambo
Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has welcomed 24 Cuban engineers to help the country resolve its water crisis.
Sisulu held a presentation on Thursday.
The water experts have been deployed to help address the country's water infrastructure issues and to share expertise with the country's engineers.
"We brough t the Cuban engineers here because we have a long fraternal, special relationship with the people of Cuba."
Sisulu hailed the Cubans for their expertise, adding they will supplement the country's existing skills.
"The people of Cuba have an amazing discipline, people of Cuba have helped us in many spheres, in housing in, health and in many areas where we have successes and we have asked them to come because they have particular speciality in areas that we do not have specialty.
"We're in a difficult position in the area of water, we are becoming a very dry country. Water is a ticking time bomb for this country. You come at a time when we sorely need you, you come at a time when we would like to give our people hope, that there is another way of doing things and the Cubans can show that there is another way of doing things."
It's understood the programme will bolster maintenance work on existing infrastructure.
Areas identified as needing urgent attention include the Vaal River spillage and the Giyani bulk water infrastructure project in Limpopo.
"We want you in terms of our cooperation to help us with the management of water resources, as well as water supply systems," she said.
"We want you to help us in the assessment and evaluation of design, research and security of hydraulic infrastructure such as main channels and bulk water projects. Our bulk water projects take the longest of time," Sisulu added.
The agreement between the two nations hasn't been well received, with concerns raised about the cost to taxpayers and side-lining of South African engineers.
It's not the first time the SA government has received backlash over the Cuban partnership.
Last year, government faced criticism for bringing in some 200 doctors from Cuba to help the country fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Listen to Lindiwe Sisulu below:
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