Water security discussed at Cabinet meeting: Gungubele

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele has highlighted the importance of water conservation, particularly during difficult times. This as more than 11 million people have been subjected to water cuts due to shortages in Gauteng.

Gungubele says a Cabinet meeting that took place on Wednesday agreed that more still needed to be done at a national level, to ensure that there is water security across the country.

Gungubele briefed the media in Pretoria on the outcome of the Cabinet meeting. He says Rand Water is doing all it can to address the current supply problems.

“The water utility supplies bulk public water to more than 11 million people in Gauteng, parts of Mpumalanga, Free State and North West. These unavoidable restrictions aim to ensure that there is water supply and will remain in place until the situation improves. Cabinet called on the public to continue adhering to the water restrictions.”

In the video below, Joburg water urges citizens to use water sparingly:

Meanwhile, Joburg Water has assured Gauteng residents that it’s attending to the water shortage problem. The bulk supplier has attributed the water shortages to six power outages at some of its reservoirs.

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero says the region’s ageing water treatment infrastructure needs extensive renovations. He was speaking during a media briefing with City Power and Joburg Water in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

“This is not really about water shortage. It’s really about the inability to pump the water, as a result of the structures not responding either through power shortages, or some of the glitches that could have been there. But, there is sufficient water.”