Water and Sanitation department to assist with water crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay

The Department of Water and Sanitation has committed to financially assist the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the Eastern Cape to deal with its worsening water crisis.

The combined levels of the dams supplying the metro have plummeted to 13%.

Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says she will also request the rollover of R183 million conditional grant the Treasury took from the municipality.

⁦@LindiweSisuluSA⁩ in a meeting with the Mayoral Committee of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to help address serious water shortages and drought in the area. The municipality has presented the exact nature and the magnitude of the crisis. pic.twitter.com/tLTAQEYDb6

— Steve Motale (@SteveMotale) April 30, 2021

The Metro’s council has recommended the building of a desalination plant to deal with the drought.

Speaking at a media briefing in Gqeberha, Sisulu warned the municipality against this ambitious plan.

“We launched with great fanfare a desalination plant in Albany District about a year or so ago and I’m told now it has fallen into disrepair. We also do have experience of a desalination plant in the Western Cape. The mayor has assured me with the experience he has by his side we can avert all the experiences with had with the desalination plant,” says Sisulu.

Minister of Human Settlements meets Mandela Bay leadership over looming water crisis

[VIDEO ?] NELSON MANDELA BAY VISIT

Arrival at Nelson Mandela Bay Metro for the meeting with the Executive Mayor Cllr Bhanga and the council.

This meeting will address the water and sanitation challenges in the Province. pic.twitter.com/hgFzf6gJQS

— Lindiwe Sisulu (@LindiweSisuluSA) April 30, 2021