Minister Mchunu pledges fresh and clean water to rural communities of John Taolo Gaetsewe District
The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr Senzo Mchunu, has made a commitment of fresh water supply to rural communities of Joe Morolong and Ga-Segonyana Local Municipalities, from the Vaal-Gamagara Bulk Water Supply Scheme that will start soon in the district of John Taolo Gaetsewe in the Northern Cape.
Minister Mchunu made this commitment during an engagement with the rural communities of the two municipalities that have been struggling to get reliable and uninterrupted water supply at a Rural Water Seminar in Tsineng Village, Kuruman on Friday, 31 March 2023.
Minister Mchunu was accompanied by the Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, Executive Mayor of John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, Ms Queen Mokgatle, Joe Morolong Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr Dineo Leutlwetse-Tshabalala, Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr George Masegela as well as representatives of the Bloem Water Board.
Minister Mchunu explained that water security in those rural communities in the two municipalities, with less than 200 000 population combined, will be brought through by the second phase of Vaal-Gamagara Water Supply Scheme, which is worth a total of R4.8 billion. The project will be a joint venture between the Department of Water and Sanitation and Mining Leadership Forum (MLF) in Northern Cape.
The second phase of the water project will entail laying of the 260-kilometre pipeline, from the Vaal River Pump Station up to Roscoe in Gamagara Municipality, and communities along the pipeline, including those in the two municipalities, stand to benefit as the project gets underway.
“There is this river called the Vaal River that is passing through this province, and there is a Vaal-Gamagara Bulk Water Scheme, which is your lifeline. The scheme seeks to bring water from the river to the people, and for the people to be able to receive sustainable water supply, there is a list of infrastructure that needs to be built, including pipeline from the river, water treatment works, reservoirs and pumpstations etc - and all these need to also be maintained daily to continuously provide water to communities in a sustainable manner,” the Minister told the community members.
During the engagement, Minister Mchunu emphasised the fact that access to fresh and clean water is a right of every individual as enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
“The government of South Africa has prioritised water supply to the households of communities in both rural and urban areas. This is the right that you should enjoy. We, as the Department of Water and Sanitation have been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that people of the country have equitable access to clean water.
“That is why we are here in Kuruman. We are here to inform you that there is a second Phase of Vaal Gamagara Water Scheme that is going to ensure that all communities, particularly in rural areas have water at their homes. We have completed the first phase of the project and it will benefit most communities in Kathu area. Please be assured that your water supply challenges here in Joe Morolong and Ga-Segonyana Municipalities will be a thing of the past. We are hard at work to ensure that,” said Minister Mchunu.
The Minister said the department, together with the provincial and local government have agreed to plan and work together to deliver sustainable water and sanitation services to communities. As part of the accelerating the delivery of these services, the Minister told the residents that the department is in a process of establishing a new water board to service Free State and the Northern Cape provinces and this process involved expanding Bloem Water’s boundary to cover the province and rename the water board to be inclusive of both provinces. This process is at consultation stage.
In the same breath, Minister Mchunu appealed to the community members to save water. The Minister informed residents that South Africa is a water scarce country, particularly in Northern Cape which is characterised by lack of rain and high temperatures.
“In as much as you have a right to water, we appeal to you to use it efficiently and sparingly. Do not waste water. Double your efforts to safe it so that you can always have access to water without any interruption”, concluded Minister Mchunu.
Minister Mchunu was on a two-day visit to the province on 30- 31 March 2023, to hand over the completed first phase of the Vaal-Gamagara Bulk Water Supply Scheme and host a seminar to discuss various water solutions for the water-scarce district. During the 2 days, the Minister handed over the completed project to the Bloem Water to manage in Kathu and also held a community engagement with residents of the mining Gamagara Municipality to provide an update of the project and its benefits.
For more information, contact:
Wisane Mavasa
Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 060 561 8935
E-mail: mavasaw@dws.gov.za
Or
Kamogelo Mogotsi
Spokesperson for the Ministry
Cell: 076 523 0085
