The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation supports Operation Hydrate and views it as a noble initiative that must gain societal support. The initiative has up to date distributed over 350 000 litres of water to drought stricken areas in the country. The Committee views this initiative as a true embodiment of the spirit of Ubuntu that has made South Africa a unique and great country it is today.
The Committee urges everyone, from individuals to big business, to contribute to this gracious course. “It is only through a commitment to mutual action that the country will overcome the current challenge of water scarcity,” said Mr Mlungisi Johnson, the Chairperson of the Committee.
As the country tries to find workable solutions to the drought challenge, the Committee views the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as central. The Committee is hopeful that the deal reached at the recently concluded COP21 climate change summit will create a foundation on which the effects will be reduced and eventually eliminated.
The Committee further urges all South Africans to recommit to a culture of prudent water use. This recommitment, coupled with vigilance in relations to water leakages will ensure that the country saves water that is currently being lost.
Government, particularly the local sphere of government, must strengthen its capacity to maintain the water related infrastructure to ensure longevity. The Committee is hopeful that all these initiatives will ensure that the country successfully navigates the drought challenge.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Malatswa Evans Molepo
Tel: 021 403-8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
