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Funds re-allocated to tackle ongoing water crisis

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Some good news for people facing daily water woes, funds will be re-allocated to tackle the ongoing sewerage spilling into the Vaal River.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has also pledged to visit Giyani, in Limpopo Province, where a bulk water supply has collapsed due to fraud, corruption and maladministration.

A humanitarian disaster hazardous to residents‘ health for almost two decades, the river has been contaminated by raw sewerage which resulted in the death of scores of fish and most water purification plants are dysfunctional.

“We are also looking at the vaal river also an area of concern,” says Ramaphosa.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni says, “We are dealing decisively and urgently with the water crisis in the Vaal river system our immediate focus is to mobilise short term financing by reprioritising funds and increasing capacity. I have asked the president and the minister of defence for the military to assist with engineering and other expertise to resolve the crisis in the Vaal river system. I am happy to report that approval has been granted”

In Limpopo Province, a payment dispute has threatened to derail the water supply to 27-villages. The contractor downed tools demanding to be paid for work done. He also accuses officials of reneging on payment schedules.

“Water, we have read about a really disturbing story in Limpopo in the Giyani area where 27 villages have not had water for quite a long time so we will be focusing on that and I will be going to inspect what is happening and to make sure that the right things get done, we are an action oriented government and i will be going there with ministers to make sure that water starts to flow in the taps, in the villages, in the homes of our people,” says Ramaphosa.

It is not clear when the President will visit the affected areas.

The government has acknowledged that the country’s water issue should be prioritised.

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