Pretoria - North West Premier Thandi Modise says her province is hard at work to ensure that more homes get access to clean running water, and plans are well underway to eradicate the sanitation backlog.
Delivering her State of the Province Address on Friday, Minister Modise said the provision of services to improve the lives of the people, was at the top of her provincial government’s agenda.
“We have made progress. As part of the commitment made to the people of the North West, the Premier’s Legacy Projects seek to meet the municipalities halfway in the delivery of basic services,” the premier said.
An amount of R150 million had been set aside through the Premier’s Legacy Projects to reduce the backlog in sanitation by the end of March 2014.
Premier Modise said a significant dent in the backlog has been made, with 12 314 sanitation facilities put up in the four district municipalities.
Two thousand five hundred rain water tanks will be distributed to areas with less than average rainfall, while 56 boreholes are being drilled and are expected to be ready by the end of the 2013/14 financial year.
Premier Modise said the provincial government was in partnership with the Department of Water Affairs and Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to construct the Dinokana Water Supply Phase 2 at Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, at a cost of over R21.4 million. The project is expected to be completed at the end of November 2014.
Over R21.8 million has been made available to ensure that all the villages get sufficient clean water through the Mafikeng South Regional Water Supply Scheme.
The Setlagole Bulk Water Supply started on 1 November 2013, will be completed on 30 October 2014 to the tune of R22 000 000.
Premier Modise said the provincial government also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Water Affairs and Human Settlements, to the value of R2 billion in January this year, to accelerate the provisioning of clean water and sanitation. – SAnews.gov.za
