Cape Town: Government has urged the residents of Hammanskraal in Gauteng to exercise patience while work is underway to install a new water treatment plant at the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works. The call was made by Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, during a post-Cabinet media briefing held in Cape Town on Wednesday.
According to South African Government News Agency, in 2023, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation directed Magalies Water to urgently intervene under the Water Services Act, 1997 (Act 108 of 1997) to design and install a new water-treatment plant at the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works near Hammanskraal. This initiative aims to address water challenges and provide long-term solutions. The new water treatment plant will supply water to certain reservoirs in the city’s distribution system, increasing the supply of clean drinking water to Hammanskraal. The government has urged the local community to remain patient during this process, with the first phase expected to be completed by
15 November 2024, enabling the City of Tshwane to deliver potable water to some areas of Hammanskraal.
Ntshavheni acknowledged the ongoing water challenges that negatively impact the lives of the Hammanskraal community, including healthcare services at local facilities like the Jubilee Hospital. She assured residents that the Cabinet had received and considered a report from the Water and Sanitation Department on the matter. The City of Tshwane is implementing a R278 million project to repair the previously dysfunctional Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), with an estimated cost of R2 billion to increase its capacity. The Cabinet was informed that the City of Tshwane will need to fund this project through revenue, borrowing, or its Urban Settlements Development Grant allocations from the Department of Human Settlements.
Meanwhile, the Minister reported that Cabinet was updated on level 1 water restrictions in Johannesburg, set to commence on Thursday. Announced earlier in the week, these restrictions
will see water supply throttled from 9 am to 4 pm daily. The restrictions are in response to continued high water demand caused by population growth, illegal connections, leaks, and misuse of water. Gauteng’s average consumption of 279 litres per capita per day significantly exceeds the international average of 173 litres per capita per day. Despite having level 1 water restrictions in place, metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng have shown limited enforcement. Consequently, the Minister of Water and Sanitation and the Premier of Gauteng have requested municipalities to impose level 2 restrictions, which will include fines for non-compliance.
Ntshavheni also announced plans for a National Water Crisis Committee to strengthen water-related efforts nationwide. The Cabinet supported the President’s decision to elevate water matters as a crisis and establish the committee to develop a water action plan and involve water experts to address nationwide water challenges in local government.
Additionally, Ntshavhen
i warned about the unsustainable R23 billion debt collectively owed by municipalities to water boards. This debt threatens the financial viability of water boards and the entire water sector. The Water and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina, recently met with several affected municipalities, securing commitments to pay from most non-paying entities. The Cabinet had previously approved an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to address municipal turnaround, which will also prioritize measures to address municipal debt payments to water boards, especially those on the brink of bankruptcy.