SEDIBENG – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the Vaal on Friday, October 27, to address the pressing issues of service delivery in the Emfuleni region.
Accompanied by key ministers, including Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and Emfuleni Mayor Sipho Radebe, Ramaphosa conducted an oversight inspection to assess the improvements and measures taken to enhance service delivery within the Sedibeng District Municipality.
The day began with a visit to the Sebokeng Waste Water Treatment facility, setting the tone for the rest of the inspection.
Ramaphosa’s entourage then crossed through pothole-riddled communities such as Evaton to oversee another critical sewer plant.
As the day continued, the tour’s culmination took place at the Vereeniging Civic Hall, where Ramaphosa engaged with local business stakeholders to discuss the progress and developments in service delivery.
Addressing the media outside the hall, Ramaphosa expressed his concerns about Emfuleni’s long-standing issues with water and sanitation, “Emfuleni has been one of those sore municipalities in our country, particularly when it comes to water and sanitation. Water treatment has been neglected for a long time. We’ve seen affluent and wastewater flowing into people’s houses and the river as well. So we decided, as the national government, we needed to intervene, working together with the province, district, and local municipality.”
However, amidst the challenges, there was optimism.
Ramaphosa commended the progress he witnessed during his visit, saying, “I am quite satisfied with the progress I am seeing here, real work is getting done, and money is being well spent. We’ve got an implementation agency in the form of Rand Water, and they are doing a really good job.”
Ramaphosa also expressed his confidence that the government’s intervention would lead to significant improvements in Emfuleni’s sewer and water crisis in the coming months.
“I traveled on very bad roads, and I’m happy that the Roads Department is here. We are going to embark on a project as well to redo the roads and make sure that we give a better and decent life for our people,” he added.
In a separate statement, Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu spoken of his satisfaction with the progress made on repairing and upgrading critical bulk water infrastructure.
He highlighted the historic nature of the current efforts, “It’s the first time we’ve reached this level. Yesterday there was a meeting, the first of its kind, convened by our special advisor, bringing in Rand Water, Emfuleni Local Municipality, provincial government, and stakeholders; bringing them on board to make sure that whatever we have achieved and all the progress, cannot be reversed, but can only be taken up.”
