Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, has commended the KwaZulu-Natal Water Master Plan which spells out the water-related challenges and outlines the short, medium and long term solutions to ensure water security in the province.

Initiated by the provincial government and launched last month, the KwaZulu-Natal Water Master Plan and Borehole Intervention Programme aims to improve access to safe and clean water in rural communities for domestic consumption, agriculture and other economic activity.

Mchunu – who is currently on a three-day visit to assess the state of water projects in the province and accelerate the delivery of water and sanitation in the province – said the master plan is a step in the right direction.

“We will take it as work in progress and refine planning as we go. At this moment, we have to pinpoint communities without water and ensure effective implementation of the plan,” Mchunu said.

Speaking during one of the sessions with the executives of the provincial government, led by Premier Sihle Zikalala who presented the plan, Mchunu expressed his concern over incomplete water projects in the province and assured that the projects will be followed up, and there will be an investment on more sustainable projects, including boreholes and water pipelines.

Mchunu announced that there will be a Sanitation Framework designed for the whole country for the facilitation of sanitation services delivery.

“The framework will be observed mainly by municipalities and we are looking forward to a more dynamic engagement, not to only try and understand the issues in the province but rather to focus on the delivery of the essential services of water and sanitation,” the Minister said.

Zikalala said the provincial government aims to work closely with local government to ensure the effective implementation of the recently launched master plan which is meant to ensure universal access to water in the province.

“South Africa, in particular KwaZulu-Natal, is facing water service challenges caused by constrained water sources, insufficient water infrastructure maintenance and recurrent droughts driven by climatic variation just to name a few.

“Ours is a task to bring relief to communities in need and accelerate the delivery of water and sanitation related services,” Zikalala said.

The Premier also commended Mchunu’s visit, noting that this will ensure that the work of three spheres of government is being integrated, and critical in making more impact on people’s development.

“All of us should commit and reinforce funding for water projects and infrastructure development in the province. We are grateful for the commitment by the Department of Water and Sanitation led by the Minister, to ensure that the achievable implementation of the Master Plan is realised,” the Premier said.

As part of the medium-term measures the provincial government through the department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), has built 250 boreholes in six districts, including Amajuba, uMkhanyakude, Zululand, uMzinyathi, uThukela and Harry Gwala.

Zikalala said the plan will require no less than R150 billion in the next 10 to 15 years.

Source: South African Government News Agency