Premier promises water to residents
Zikalala said with their intervention, the short term plan is to ensure that the capacity of the dam is restored.
During a provincial government visit to the South Coast on Tuesday this week, Premier Sihle Zikalala said short, medium and long term plans are in place to sort out ongoing water issues in the Ugu District Municipality.
Ugu has made headlines for several weeks with the water situation getting worse, especially during the festive season.
It has not only affected local residents, but holidaymakers too had to experience the coast’s water woes.
The premier along with MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay; MEC of Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza; MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka; mayor of Ugu Phumlile Mthiyane and local municipal mayors visited the St Helen’s Rock pump station.
They also made a stopover at the Bhobhoyi dam, the Bhobhoyi water treatment plant, and later engaged with various stakeholders at Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre.
Zikalala said with their intervention, the short term plan is to ensure that the capacity of the dam is restored.
“The short to long term plan will be to refurbish some of the infrastructure.”
When asked what he would like to say to the communities of Bhobhoyi and Umzinto that had been protesting for water, he said they will continue to supply water using tankers, for the next six months to a year.
The premier condemned the violence that erupted at the protest in Umzinto on Monday this week.
The premier said more funds have been allocated to Ugu, besides the recent R19 million grant, to upgrade infrastructure and that the province will make sure that it is spent accordingly.
He said the visit was another way to monitor Ugu.
During the presentations and the premier’s talk at the sports centre, the media was asked to leave the meeting as it was a closed session with stakeholders.
After Zikalala’s engagement with stakeholders, a media briefing was held.
“The purpose of our visit was to assess the state of the water supply because we know that this district has challenges. As the provincial government we are deeply concerned by the ongoing disruption and poor state of water supply,” said Zikalala.
He classified the challenges that affect water supply are as follows:
* The ageing infrastructure which cannot meet the demand of the population in Ugu.
* Challenge of vandalism to infrastructure
* Non revenue collection
* Technical capacity
He said priority will be to upgrade Bhobhoyi and Mtamvuna water treatment plants, as well as repair leaking pipes.
“We want to increase the Bhobhoyi dam storage capacity. St Helen’s Rock pump station is funded through Cogta and plans are to have it completed by June 2022.”
Umdoni, Umzumbe and Umuziwabantu will be getting boreholes.
The long term plan is to build the Ncwabeni off-channel dam, upgrade Mhlabashane water treatment works, as well as the expansion of the South coast pipeline.
Zikalala is expected to return to Ugu next month to address other stakeholders.
“We have directed Ugu to present a turn-around plan for water provision to provincial cabinet within the next three weeks.”
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