Bushbuckridge – Government leaders say efforts to turn around the lives of the community of Bushbuckridge will be stepped up.
This after President Jacob Zuma led a team of Ministers on a visit to the area on Friday, 6 November under the auspices of the Presidential Siyahlola Monitoring Programme.
The visit was aimed at getting a first-hand account of what programmes have been put in place to address challenges such as insufficient water supply and connections to households, the high rate of drug abuse reported by the community, potholes on the roads, housing, electricity and refuse removal.
The President took time to listen to concerns from the community at a packed gathering at Thulamahashe Stadium. Residents opened up to President Zuma about the problems they face on a daily basis. President Zuma said government is listening to their concerns and is already hard at work to make a better life not only for this community, but for communities around the country.
“The visit is a culmination of various initiatives taken by various spheres of government to ensure service delivery improvement in the area. While a lot has been done, there is still a long way to go as we improve the quality of lives in Bushbuckridge and surrounding areas,” President Zuma told the community.
He said during their inspection, it was highlighted that in Bushbuckridge, at least 70% of people are without bulk water supply, while almost 60% are without tap water.
“At least 75% are without yard water connection and the majority of the communities still rely on water from boreholes. While the situation remains difficult, there is an improvement through interventions by government through the Department of Water and Sanitation, working through its utility Rand Water and also with the Mpumalanga Provincial Government,” President Zuma said.
He said more than 20 000 yard connections have been made in the first two phases of the reticulation project in about 38 villages in the area.
The President also assured the community that government is addressing the corruption complaints they have raised. He warned that those responsible will face the full might of the law.
Government intervention
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said her department is aware that Bushbuckridge has many challenges with the supply of water and that these are being dealt with.
She said since last year, her department has been visiting villages in Mpumalanga and in the past seven months, they have brought in Rand Water to assist the municipalities.
“Some villages like Hoxane now have clean water and for the first time, the community of Blakfesi is receiving water from taps. We have up-scaled capacity by fitting more pipelines to ensure that more people have water,” Minister Mokonyane said.
She said by 2018, the entire Bushbuckridge Local Municipality will have access to water. She pleaded with the community to safeguard the infrastructure government is building to improve their lives.
She also told the community that from now on, government will provide its own water tanks instead of outsourcing.
Speaking on behalf of Mpumalanga Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi Mokoena thanked government for continuously reaching out to the community of Mpumalanga. He, however, echoed the President’s sentiments that more work still has to be done. – SAnews.gov.za
