Ugu hosts water and sanitation engagement indaba
KZN Legislature's Ugu District Champion, MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said it can't be that some areas solely rely on water tankers for water supply, adding that a solution is needed.
“We are known for tourism and our tourism is badly affected because we do not have water.”
This was a sentiment shared by Ray Nkonyeni Municipality mayor, Sikhumbuzo Mqadi during a Water and Sanitation Indaba hosted by Ugu District Municipality at the Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre on Tuesday.
Mqadi said the district can’t have one problem that lasts for 10 years.
“I know there are interventions by different spheres of government trying to solve this problem but seemingly, there is a problem that is why we are unable to solve this issue. Sometimes we know why there is no water in a certain area. For example, we would say there is a lack of water because of a pump, we talk as if the things needed to solve our water issues are found out of this world,” said Mqadi, adding that the different political organisations in Ugu are extremely worried, and they all want to come up with solutions.
Mqadi said the water issue is a huge one and it requires them to come together and give the people of Ugu water.
KZN Legislature’s Ugu District Champion, MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said it can’t be that some areas solely rely on water tankers for water supply, adding that a solution is needed.
“It can’t be that pensioners have to walk a distance to get to a water tanker and carry buckets of water,” said Khoza.
Meanwhile, Ugu District Municipality acting mayor, Mandla Chiya, said the Water and Sanitation Indaba was aimed at engaging with important stakeholders in an effort to find lasting solutions to issues faced by the district.
Chiya added that the aim of the gathering was to find ways to provide adequate and uninterrupted water and sanitation to different communities in the district.
“With the intellect we have and the knowledge the different stakeholders have, we believe that when we put our ideas together, we would be able to come up with the right resolutions to deal with the matter of water and sanitation within the district. This session was an opportunity for all of us to extensively engage on how the municipality should go about addressing this multi-faceted challenge. To engage on how we can be better equipped in providing this critical service to the people of Ugu.
In terms of access to basic services, 67% of households in Ugu have access to water, 70% have access to electricity, and 95% have access to sanitation. The Indaba was aimed at bringing all of us to one level of understanding of the current state of water infrastructure in the district and the state of the finances of the municipality. And to highlight the challenges and setbacks the municipality is facing in providing water,” said Chiya.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Fever’s Facebook page
