Water projects announced in uMkhanyakude
MINISTER of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu on Friday announced projects to be implemented as a matter of priority in uMkhanyakude District Municipality.
On the day, Mchunu convened three meetings, with District Mayor Tim Moodley and Exco members, council members and traditional leaders.
uMkhanyakude IFP chair, Mfananaye Mathe said the party is of the view that Friday’s meetings were a success and it welcomed what Mchunu had tabled.
The department said the overall purpose of the meetings was for Mchunu to take Moodley and council members into confidence concerning water projects to be implemented to ensure water is provided to communities, and to introduce Mhlathuze Water as the implementing agent.
This comes after the department in February intervened at the municipality in terms of section 63 of the Water Services Act, 108 of 1997.
Mchunu said various municipal challenges at the time prompted the department to invoke section 63, which would focus on capacity building, water services planning and partnerships, among others.
In light of the Water Services Act intervention, Mchunu presented an updated business plan to the municipality, which includes the implementation of the reconfiguration of the Shemula Water Supply Scheme and the implementation of the outstanding work at Jozini Water Works.
Mchunu announced that Mhlathuze Water would manage, operate and maintain the water and sanitation infrastructure in uMkhanyakude District.
The minister also announced that the department has a number of ‘Priority A projects’ which ‘can be implemented in approximately 12 months’.
The department said these projects have been subdivided into seven manageable packages, and that this work involves the refurbishment of five small treatment works, additional pump trains and additional reservoirs in Jozini Municipality.
‘Further to this, there will be an upgrade and refurbishment of reticulation networks to yard connections in parts of Othobothini, Jozini, Mkhuze, Mhlekazi, Mjindi, Mseleni, Malobeni and Mbazwana.
‘Similarly, we are adding pump trains and stations at Shemula while also refurbishing and upgrading the reticulation network to yard connections in Manyiseni, Ingwavuma, Ndumo, Pelandaba north and south, Enkanyezini, Thengane and Mshudu,’ said Mchunu.