Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has moved to assure South Africans that government is at work to resolve the water crisis currently experienced in parts of the country.
Ntshavheni was speaking during the Debate of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) held in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon.
The water challenges reached a crescendo last week when residents in Johannesburg protested. Some maintained to have been without water for at least three weeks. Residents continue to picket at the offices of Johannesburg Water as their water woes continue.
Operation Vulindlela
“The work has already commenced. The OV [Operation Vulindlela] team and the Department of Water and Sanitation have started with the assessments towards a water action plan that should be ready by mid-March 2026. And a call for technical capacity as part of mobilising resources and expertise to support municipalities in crisis is in the works.
“The current draft Water Action Plan is focused on immediate crisis. Also on propelling reforms in the water sector and unlocking investments in the municipal infrastructure,” Minister Ntshavheni assured.
During the SONA last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee. It is set to resolve the challenges similar to the success of the National Energy Crisis Committee.
Support for municipalities
“This structure will bring together all existing efforts into a single coordinating body. It will deploy technical experts and resources from the national government to municipalities facing water challenges. It will ensure that action is taken swiftly and effectively to address the problem.
“To address the challenges effectively, we will not hesitate to use the powers enshrined in the Constitution and in the Water Services Act. We will use these to intervene in municipalities where necessary.
“We will hold to account those who neglect their responsibility to supply water to our people,” President Ramaphosa said at the time.
- SAnews.gov.za
