Government has allocated R12.3 billion in infrastructure grants to municipalities for the current financial year as it intensifies efforts to tackle South Africa’s mounting water and sanitation crisis.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina announced the funding during her budget vote speech in the National Council of Provinces on Wednesday, outlining decisive interventions to improve water security, rehabilitate ageing infrastructure and expand access to reliable services.
The allocation comes as many communities across the country continue to face water interruptions, sewage spillages, deteriorating wastewater treatment systems and high levels of water losses.
These challenges prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish the National Water Crisis Committee and direct the implementation of the National Water Action Plan.
“The message we bring to this House is clear: Government is intervening decisively, projects are being accelerated, and partnerships are being strengthened to ensure that communities receive reliable water and sanitation services,” Majodina said.
Major infrastructure projects under way
The department’s priorities include completing delayed infrastructure projects, rehabilitating failing water treatment and wastewater works, expanding water supply to underserved communities, developing groundwater resources, and investing in water reuse and desalination initiatives.
Among the major projects are the R2.6 billion bulk water supply programme serving Mthatha, Libode, Ngqeleni and Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape, and the R4 billion water and sanitation intervention in Maluti-a-Phofung in the Free State.
In Limpopo, the R1.3 billion Giyani water project has already connected 24 villages, while the R4.9 billion Mandlakazi Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme is under way in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Hammanskraal water intervention in Gauteng is nearing completion, with a new 50-megalitre-per-day water package plant expected to improve access to clean water for approximately 47 000 households.
Majodina also outlined progress in Mpumalanga, the North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape, where several large-scale projects are under construction or nearing completion to reduce service backlogs.
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Rural water access programme launched
The minister announced the rollout of a nationwide Rural Water Access Programme aimed at improving water security in unserved communities through borehole drilling, spring protection, rainwater harvesting and rehabilitation of non-functional systems.
More than 2 600 settlements have been identified under the programme, with over R200 million allocated for the first phase in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
Implementation is scheduled to begin in July and conclude in September this year.
Water boards to support struggling municipalities
The department is increasingly using water boards as implementing agents to support struggling municipalities and is working with the Departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and National Treasury to improve governance and financial sustainability in the sector.
Majodina said government was also strengthening anti-corruption measures through the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, established in partnership with the Special Investigating Unit.
She urged all spheres of government, communities and the private sector to work together to secure the country’s water future.
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