Government leaders seek urgent solutions for Soul City settlement
Big-name local and national government officials conducted a recent oversight in the Soul City informal settlement to find solutions regarding the widespread sanitation crisis.
The country’s sanitation crisis in low-income disadvantaged areas stretches far and wide, even in Mogale City.
Recently, the Department of Human Settlements along with Mogale City Local Municipality officials conducted an oversight visit in the Soul City informal settlement in Kagiso as the community also battles with such a crisis.
The Minister of the Department of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara and Mogale City Executive Mayor Lucky Sele were involved in the visit.
According to Kubayi, the aim is to come up with an emergency solution as South Africa is a water-scarce country.
“The country has an average rainfall of 465mm, which is half the world average and there is also a very high evaporation rate. Consequently, the potential of the country to further develop its surface water resources is limited – in fact, about 75% of its exploitable surface water resources are already being harnessed.”
He added that untreated or ‘raw’ water supply availability is currently roughly in balance with existing demands on a national scale, but there are localised deficits and surpluses.
“Raw water availability in South Africa could, however, rapidly deteriorate as demand escalates due to both economic and population growth. The visit was to conduct oversight and identify which households were mainly affected at the settlements and how the residents can be assisted in helping them have access to clean water and sanitation.”
