Nomsa Dube-Ncube KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has appealed to residents and businesses in the province’s drought affected municipalities to adhere to the stricter water restrictions being implemented by municipalities.  This, despite the good rains in recent weeks that have seen the once-dry Buffalo River in full flow.

However, many dams are still depleted.  Except for the Tom Worthington dam.

“We call on all KZN residents and business to familiarise themselves with the water restrictions and to comply as at times these may be upgraded to higher levels as a way of ensuring that taps do not run dry” said Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

“Many of our municipalities have implemented water efficient infrastructure in a bid to save water. We must expect that water pressure will be reduced in almost all KZN municipalities. We must look out for leaks and report them immediately to municipalities” added Dube-Ncube.

“We appeal to the agricultural sector to also make preparations now for the upcoming winter seasons as this sector will remain under pressure. Municipalities must publish all water restrictions time schedules and make sure that communities are informed. As government we are continuing with our drought relief plan. We will be supplying more water tankers, drilling more boreholes, installing pipelines, water treatment works and desalination plants”.

“We thank our residents and businesses for observing the existing water restrictions imposed by municipalities and we urge them to do so for a little while longer as the dry season approaches. We appreciate what has largely been a model consumer behaviour on the part of the public,” said KZN MEC for Cogta Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

Based on the past experience, KZN Cogta anticipates significantly lower levels of rainfall across the province and especially in the regions worst affected by the current drought as the winter season draws nearer. The drier conditions will mean that KZN’s depleted water reservoirs will not be replenished adequately.

“This longest drought in living memory has taught us the virtues of cooperation between various consumers of water services. We are working with limited and in some instances diminishing supplies of water and it is imperative that the interests of households are weighed fairly against those of businesses,” said Dube-Ncube.

“We have some dams below 30% and this is posing a serious challenge as we head towards winter.”

KZN Cogta will be embarking on a wide-ranging drought awareness campaign ahead of and during the winter season to sensitise all municipal residents and businesses operating in drought affected municipalities to the need to continue to save water and help replenish KZN’s depleted water resources.

For more information contact: KZN Cogta spokesperson Lennox Mabaso, 082 884 2403 or Msawakhe Mayisela 0609664220
Ends.