ADM secures 10 trucks for drought relief
Amathole District Municipality has received R30m from the national government to help deal with the persistent drought.
The ADM went cap in hand to the department of water and sanitation to ask if it could use its water service infrastructure grant for drought relief.
On Monday, water and sanitation deputy minister Pam Tshwete delivered 10 water trucks to the municipality in East London. She said the state spent R15m on the trucks, which will cart water to dry communities. Another R15m is set aside for boreholes.
This is a welcome development as the ADM has been gripped by drought for years, with livestock dying and residents sometimes going for days or even weeks without water.
“An urgent intervention was needed to speed up certain projects, which should ease water shortages and drought challenges in the district,” Tshwete said.
The carrying capacity of each truck is 12,000 litres. At 25 litres per person, one load will supply 480 people per day.
Four of the six local municipalities under ADM’s jurisdiction – Mbhashe, Mnquma, Ngqushwa and Raymond Mhlaba – will receive two trucks each, and Great Kei and Amahlathi one each.
Authorities said they had already started drilling boreholes in Mnquma around the Teko Fihla and Teko Kona areas.
ADM mayor Winnie Nomfusi Nxawe said drought intervention was part of their mandate in service delivery for residents in their area of jurisdiction.
“ADM requested special permission from the department of water and sanitation to make use of the water service infrastructure grant to procure the tankers for drought intervention. This is so we can play our mandated role in bringing basic services to ADM communities,” she said.
Provincial head of water and sanitation Portia Makhanya stressed the need for the municipalities to take care of the water trucks, so they could service their communities for years to come.
“I appeal to the beneficiaries of these precious trucks to pro- long the lifespan of them through proper care and maintenance.
“We should all take responsibility and hold each other accountable for improper use of these vehicles,” she said.