The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has underscored the importance of all spheres of government working together to tackle the water supply challenges in Gauteng.
“When we work together, we'll be able to address the challenges our communities are facing,” the Minister said on Thursday.
The Minister made these remarks during an oversight visit in Johannesburg, which was conducted to assess the water supply system.
READ | Government intensifies oversight of Midrand water supply interventions
“We are on the ground, engaging with our communities and explaining the challenges we are facing. Seeing these challenges being addressed is truly satisfying from a government perspective. At national level, we are here to support you as you work to overcome them.
“If you look at the progress that has been made up to this far, it tells us that when we join hands, we can get around this situation much quicker. We are committed to [addressing the challenges],” Hlabisa said.
During the oversight visit, he was joined by Minister of Water and Sanitation Penny Majodina; Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo; Deputy Minister of COGTA, Dr Dickson Namane Masemola; Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development and COGTA, Jacob Mamabolo, and Executive Mayor Dada Morero.
“Let us appreciate the fact that the population is growing very rapidly. The Johannesburg area, Midrand in particular, is developing at a fast pace, and with such development comes increased demand for water, as more water is abstracted.
“We monitor this closely, and the mayor is addressing it by building more reservoirs, because what we need is improved storage capacity. We are making progress,” Majodina said.
The Gauteng Provincial Government has established an Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Water Operations Centre to facilitate and coordinate responses aimed at stabilising water supply across the province.
The Water IGR Operations Centre brings together national government departments, Rand Water, metropolitan and local municipalities, and key provincial entities.
Its purpose is to strengthen coordination, enable real-time system monitoring, improve joint decision-making, and provide a single source of verified information on the state of the provincial water system.
The Operations Centre was activated on Monday at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Midrand.
Through the Water IGR, immediate interventions are being fast-tracked, including leak detection and repair, reservoir refurbishment, operational support to municipalities, and the strengthening of early-warning and communication systems.
Parallel work is underway to support municipalities in developing credible funding proposals to unlock medium- and long-term investment in critical water infrastructure. - SAnews.gov.za
