Despite the ongoing challenges, the delivery of water to the community of Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape will continue, the Department of Water and Sanitation said on Wednesday.
The municipality is among the 2 000 communities that were identified as being in need of water and sanitation across the country.
This follows a directive by Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to the department to respond accordingly to the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic in South Africa.
The Minister set the ball rolling towards bringing relief to the communities in water and sanitation distress, by directing the department to roll out the necessary intervention to these communities.
The department said that a lot of work has happened, and this includes the delivery of 17 962 water tanks with 11 978 of these installed across the country.
The department said despite the inherent challenges in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, the department and the stakeholders are continuing to deliver the water tanks.
“As per the report of 19 May 2020, the Eastern Cape had 4 494 tanks installed and in use, with 201 tankers delivered, of which 169 are in use. Alfred Nzo District Municipality has received 482 tanks which are also in use, with 13 tankers delivered.
“A further seven tankers are awaited as soon as the procurement processes are completed. These will ensure that much better security of supply is achieved,” the department said.
In all of this, the department said the office of the department in the Eastern Cape is tasked with working with the implementing agent, including Amatola Water, Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Eastern Cape Office of the Premier, the office of the MEC for COGTA, as well as the community to ensure that, as the roll out of the intervention continues, it actually reaches the most vulnerable communities as identified by the municipality.
Bizana, Ntabankulu are not being ignored
The department also noted that the localities of Bizana and Ntabankulu are not being ignored, as much as the intervention might be slow.
The department said that installation of the water tanks did not take off as would have been envisaged and preferred, due to the lockdown taking its toll on some of the service providers who became cash strapped.
“Tankering has also not been optimal as the tanks that were allocated were too few to advance services to the vast area they were required to assist. Once the procurement glitches at Amatola Water are overcome, services will be rendered much better.
“The need for security of supply to all, especially the most vulnerable communities cannot be compromised, thus the directive of Minister Sisulu has to be brought to life. As the intervention continues to roll out, we ask for patience from those that have not yet been reached,” the department explained.
While acknowledging that the desired results and effects have not yet been felt in all communities, the department said it is intent on completely fulfilling its mission.
KZN improves efforts to supplement ailing water supply
Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Water and Sanitation department has doubled its efforts to supplement the ailing water supply in the province as a result of declining dam level capacity.
The department said that more than 4 000 water tanks and 532 tankers have been delivered in the province as a temporary measure to supplement the provision of water and to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“The Ugu District has 342 installed tanks, while the uMzinyathi and Harry Gwala Districts have 480 and 350 water tanks installed and in use respectively,” the department said.
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has reiterated that local municipalities should step up their efforts to ensure the tanks are always filled up with water for access to the community.
SAnews.gov.za
