There is a possibility that a separate water entity may be tasked with managing Nelson Mandela Bay’s water systems, instead of the municipality itself.
This was confirmed by Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, at a recent media briefing during a visit to the Churchill Dam in the vicinity of Kareedouw.
Mchunu has asked for a detailed report on how the municipality has been managing the valves of the Algoa Bay Water System and has requested that the report be ready by the beginning of next week, when he will hold an important meeting with stakeholders regarding the water crisis.
The report follows an observation made by the head of water regulation and use at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Andrew Lucas, during a visit to the dam.
According to Lucas, it has been observed throughout the Eastern Cape that where municipalities are in charge of managing the water systems, as is the case in Nelson Mandela Bay, the water valves are generally not managed as well as they would be by a separate water or irrigation board, for instance.
“It has not been physically seen but this is the observation throughout the province,” Lucas said.
Mchunu said that when the report is received and Lucas’s observation is proven to be true, immediate, urgent discussions would be taking place in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“If that is the case, there is a possibility that a separate entity may be brought in to manage the valves,” Mchunu said.
Lucas added that looking at the Churchill Dam, which is the smallest, if Nelson Mandela Bay residents had been complying with water restrictions over the past two or three years, this dam would have been full.
“We are battling with non-compliance. Nelson Mandela Bay has used almost three times the amount of water than it should have over the past two years.
“It was hoped that water could be brought from the east and Barry Martin [water and sanitation director in the metro] has been trying to get that up and running for two years but it is just taking too long.
“The reality is that projects are planned but they just don’t happen as fast as we would hope,” he continued.
Lucas and other representatives from the department emphasised that letters of non-compliance had been sent to the municipality, but there was still no compliance.
Mchunu has also asked for these letters to be provided to him to discuss in the upcoming meeting early next week.
Addressing Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor, Eugene Johnson, who was also present at the site visit, Mchunu instructed her to have an immediate meeting with her portfolio committee.
“Bring your portfolio committee to have meetings in these buildings here by the dam so that they can get the smell of waterlessness.
“Things can be different if they see the damage done due to non-compliance,” he said.
“The dams are skeletons.
“It really hits differently when you are standing right here and looking at the damage,” Mchunu said.
“It hurts me. I don’t know why it hurts me so much but I feel it.
“It is a horror.”
