Budget to enhance service delivery, increase access and ensure empowerment
The South African government will go to all lengths to ensure that previously un-served communities received access to water and decent sanitation, whilst at the same ensuring water security for all South Africans.
This was a commitment by Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane during the DWS Budget Vote address in Parliament in the rainy Cape Town this morning. The Minister also committed that in enhancing water and service delivery to the nation, empowerment of designated groupings in society will be prioritised.
“The 2017 budget vote is, amongst others, about serving the un-served, creating new industries in the water sector, promoting the participation of women, youth and Blacks within the sector and providing water and sanitation services as catalysts to economic development and growth opportunities in our country”, Minister Mokonyane said.
The R15.1billion budget for 2017/18 financial year will amongst others, ensure water security through building, maintaining and refurbishing the water and sanitation infrastructure.
“Water storage for the present and the future remains critical for creating certainty for economic and social development of our country. This then calls on us to build more infrastructure that will address unemployment, inequality and poverty”, Minister Mokonyane said.
Some of the main infrastructure projects for this financial year include Mzimvubu Water Scheme, Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the Vaal Gamagara water project.
In order to increase water supply the following augmentation schemes will be undertaken: progress with the raising of the Clanwilliam Dam Wall, raising of Tzaneen Dam, Lower Thukela Regional Bulk Water Scheme, Hoxane Water Treatment Works and others.
On sanitation Minister Mokonyane announced that of the 52 300 buckets in the formal settlements that were to be eradicated, some 26 900 buckets have been eradicated and of the remaining 25 400 buckets, 14 000 is work in progress, with 11 000 remaining to be completed with alternative sanitation solutions, working in partnership with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the Water Research Commission.
“The restoration of the dignity of our people is a commitment by this government. We can now confirm that the following provinces no longer have buckets in the formal areas namely Mpumalanga, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Northern Cape”, Minister Mokonyane said.
Minister Mokonyane also took the opportunity to mobilise South Africans to help fight the pollution of water sources. Key to water resources management is the protection of rivers from pollution and monitoring the water quality status.
“Pollution by sewage is a big problem in our catchments countrywide. Enforcement of by-laws and compliance will be strengthened and the department will also increase the capacity to ensure enforcement on a continuous basis. Compliance with the Blue Drop and Green Drop standards will also be strictly monitored”, Minister Mokonyane said.
The Minister also has thanked South Africans for helping with efforts to save water, and encouraged the citizens to continue doing so, especially in the Western Cape where dam levels are critically low.
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