Opposition parties have warned that the country’s water supply infrastructure is in danger of collapse.
Speaking during the budget vote of the Department of Water and Sanitation, the parties, led by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters said poor management and corruption were responsible for the water crisis.
DA member of Parliament Leonard Basson says failure to maintain infrastructure is already impacting certain areas of the country, where services have started collapsing.
On Thursday, the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality announced water shutdown in Kimberley for three days due to much needed infrastructure upgrades. The area has been plagued with water cuts recently.
Kimberley residents up in arms over yet another water shutdown: Reginald Witbooi:
Basson says experts have warned that R100 billion is needed for mega projects with only R4 billion available.
He says the 2022 Green Drop report show that Limpopo’s waste water treatment works have the highest risk in the country at 78%.
“The report shows that 102 of the 115 waster water treatment plants under Minister [Patricia] De Lille and her department is on critical risk with only 12%.
This implies a 90% failure under her leadership. Minister De Lille first you gave us a R40 million washing line and you are dumping 14 million litres of real waste into the country’s rivers and streams every day.”
