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Tshwane needs R9.2 billion to deal with water infrastructure challenges

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) controlled City of Tshwane says it needs R9.2 billion to deal with water infrastructure challenges in the city. The city is making representations to the Human Rights Commission’s one-day water inquiry in Pretoria.

Community forums alongside the Pienaarsriver and Roodeplaat dam earlier told the inquiry that the water infrastructure is unable to deal with waste challenges.

Residents, including those from Hammanskraal, have been experiencing challenges relating to clean drinking water.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Utility Services, Phillip Nel says the city has embarked on a number of projects to deal with the problem.

“So if I split out that R9.2 billion, R6 billion of that is required in this area that we are debating here today. Currently, in that area, R600 million worth of projects are in process. So that is the type of funding and the capacity that the municipality has to manage at the time.”

Community wants government to improve water infrastructure

The community of Roodeplaat has called on government to improve the water infrastructure in its area. The community forum is among stakeholders making presentations to the inquiry.

The commission is investigating whether the community’s right to clean water is being violated.

A legal representative for the community, Henry Van Staden, says there is a lack of clean drinking water in the area.

“And there is lack of clean drinking water. There is a lack of a clean healthy environment for the people living next to these water sources due to contamination of various water sources. But it’s not just water sources, it’s the soil as well as the unhealthy air pollution is taking place and I will touch on that, especially at the Rooiwal and then also the problem with the clear aggressive alien weeds that the various departments failed to address and it is killing the community in various ways.”

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