South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma says it is unacceptable that most rural communities still do not have access to clean water despite the fact that others are situated near major dams that provide water for big cities.

Zuma was speaking in Richards Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal where he launched a multi-million rand water treatment plant. The Jozini Dam is situated in Northern KZN in the Mkhanyakude District. The dam has the potential to supply water to millions of people but rural communities living near the dam are not benefiting from the facility.

Damage to crops every year due to drought runs into hundreds of millions of rand, but Zuma says those in charge of the Water Affairs Department must correct this. Water Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica also admits that things are not well, this as more than 2.5 million people in KZN alone do not have clean water.

The President says today's launch of the Nsezi Water Treatment Plant is the first step to ensuring that rural communities also get clean water and will service domestic, mining and industrial areas.