A steering committee has been established to deal with water and sanitation challenges at the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality in Kimberly, Northern Cape.
This comes after Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu and Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul met with Sol Plaatje Local Municipality leaders to find long lasting solutions to the current water and sanitation challenges in the area.
During the discussions on Thursday, the municipality outlined its challenges relating to bulk water supply and reticulation to communities.
The steering committee, which includes a technical team from Water and Sanitation and the municipality, will provide a turnaround strategy on the municipality’s water challenges.
The committee will also have a political oversight of the Minister and provincial political leadership.
Mchunu said as a Water Services Authority (WSA), Sol Plaatje Local Municipality is responsible for waste water management and treatment of raw water and its reticulation.
However, he said, through routine inspections and interactions with the municipality, the department identified poor operation and maintenance on both water and sanitation infrastructure, which contributes to sewage spillages, water leaks and water interruptions in the municipality.
Mchunu said the department has issued several directives that the spillages of wastewater from the overflowing sewer network and pump stations were ponding inside the Kamfersdam and Platfontein pans. However, the municipality indicated that it has financial challenges affecting its ability to address the problems.
The Minister said the committee will also address issues of high levels of water losses as non-revenue water is estimated at 64% due to old aging bulk and reticulation infrastructure.
He said he is endorsing the steering committee and is confident that it will improve the services of water and sanitation in the city.
“Various issues that include operation and maintenance, loss of water through leaks and ageing infrastructure will be dealt with decisively. We need to improve water and sanitation services in this municipality and ensure that the people get clean, running water in their homes,” Mchunu said.
Vaal project
Both the Minister and the Premier have also undertaken to expedite the progress of the Vaal Gamagara Phase 2 project, which will be a joint venture between the department and the Mine Leadership Forum in the Northern Cape.
The project will entail the laying of a 260-kilometre pipeline from the Vaal River Pump Station and will service the communities of John Taolo Gaotsewe District Municipality.
The eradication of the bucket system in the Norther Cape Province was also placed under the spotlight during the discussions.
There are currently 7 600 buckets in the province, and Mchunu and Saul said they will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to eliminate the bucket system, particularly in Campbell under Siyancuma Local Municipality.
Meanwhile, Mchunu is today visiting Lichtenburg to meet with representatives of the North West business sector to discuss sustainable solutions to the provision of water and sanitation in the province – SAnews.gov.za
