Remarks by the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Hon. Pamela Tshwete on the occasion of the Tuschenkomst Pipeline Project Handover, Ntswana-Le-Metsing
Programme Director
Premier of the North West Province
Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Acting Mayor of Moses Kotane Local Municipality Councillors
House of Traditional Leaders Municipal Managers
Regional Head and Department Officials
Magalies Water Chairperson, Board members, Executives and officials
Members of the Media Community of Ntswana le Metsing Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning
It is rather wonderful to witness such rapid service delivery especially when it has to do with something important such as water, as the saying goes “Water is Life”.
Let me share that last week on Tuesday, the 23 of April, I was in Bakerville to handover the Ditsobotla Groundwater Source Project.
Today I am back in the province to celebrate the handover of the Tuschenkomst Pipeline project to the Moses Kotane Local Municipality.
Magalies Water provides bulk potable water for industrial and domestic use from its Vaalkop Water Treatment Works to the Moses Kotane, Rustenburg and Thabazimbi local municipalities, including large platinum and other mines in the Boshoek, Rustenburg, Thabazimbi and Northam areas.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) funded this project through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) at a cost of R200million. A total number of 23 982 households with a population of 95 916 people will benefit from this project. Jobs created during the construction phase consists of 67 local labourers and 7 Small and Medium Enterprises.
I would like to urge the municipality to budget for the operation and maintenance of this project, not forgetting the security of the project. It is more cost effective to maintain well the projects that we have than to construct new ones every few years. As the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’.
The project should be well protected and there are all sorts of security equipment and devices that can assist the municipality in that regard.
There has to be a joint effort between the municipality and the community to take ownership and safeguard this project against misuse and vandalism. The on-going vandalising of the same
infrastructure that benefits the community remains undesirable and is a criminal offence. Let us take pride in looking after our infrastructure, as this is a legacy for generations to come.
There also has to be a further joint effort between the department and the municipality to educate and raise awareness on the dangers, and consequences, of vandalising the water and sanitation infrastructure.
Through proper security, operation and maintenance this project can serve the community for a very long time to come, especially through the times of climate change.
Climate change is a slow, natural cycle that causes the earth’s temperature to rise and fall periodically over centuries. Climate change has a profound impact on human life, and among many changes it also influences temperature shifts, food security, and water resources.
Drought is brought by climate change, and the only way we can survive the effects of drought is by conserving the little water that is available to us. Let us save water and use it sparingly, and the municipality has to amplify the campaigns by the department to save water. Every rainfall should be seen as an opportunity to harvest the water so that we do not only rely on tap water.
As I mentioned in the beginning that last week I handed over a groundwater source project, there is a need to optimise groundwater use as an important alternative for basic use of water. The department
is currently running the groundwater campaign as the theme of this month as we raising the awareness to explore groundwater use to assist the surface water that is drying up.
In ten days’ time, you will have a democratic opportunity to vote and participate in building South Africa together.
Vote for a government that support all municipalities and communities regardless of their political affiliations.
Once again, thank you to the District Municipality, the Local Municipality, the Department of Water Sanitation in the North West province and to Magalies Water. Thank you for all the support and good work done.
Let us continue to work together and build a better country and better South Africa.
Thuma Mina Enkosi
I thank you.
