Cape Town: Government has undertaken a series of decisive actions to resolve the water crisis, to enable citizens to get water in the areas they live. Delivering the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the seventh administration, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that as government forges ahead with the reform agenda, an urgent priority is to ensure a ‘secure and reliable supply of water across the country.’

According to South African Government News Agency, the President delivered the SONA at a joint sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces, in Cape Town. He acknowledged that a number of people in the cities, towns, and villages are experiencing frequent water shortages due to failing water infrastructure. He noted that it is impossible to live without water, and impossible for the economy to grow without it.

‘We are therefore taking a series of decisive actions to resolve the water crisis, to enable our people to get water where they live, whether in townships or rural areas. We are investing heavily in expanding our water resources,’ President Ramaphosa said. The President highlighted that through the Infrastructure Fund, the government has secured R23 billion for seven large water infrastructure projects. The aim of the Infrastructure Fund is to use committed government funding to leverage much higher levels of private sector investment in public infrastructure.

He stated that delays have been ended in major water infrastructure projects, such as Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) and the uMkhomazi Dam. Work is underway to prepare for the construction of the Ntabelanga Dam on the uMzimvubu River to supply additional water for domestic use and for irrigation in the Eastern Cape.

The President also announced that within the next year, the government will complete the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency to unlock much greater investment in water projects. He further noted the ongoing construction of the Mtentu Bridge, which will rise above the river between Port Edward and Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, and become the tallest bridge in Africa.

Through the Water Services Amendment Bill, the government will introduce a licensing system for water service providers and remove licenses where providers do not meet the standards for quality drinking water. The Cabinet announced the approval of the publication of the bill in September 2023.