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Premier Mabuza sign MOU with MEGA and municipalities on provision of bulk water and sanitation infrastructure

03 October 2012

In his move to resolve the escalated water problems and ensure delivery of water services to various communities, Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza today signed a memorandum of understanding [MOU] with Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency [MEGA] and eight “stressed” municipalities for cooperation in improving water infrastructure.

The affected municipalities with serious water challenges are Mkhondo, Albert Luthuli, Bushbuckridge, Nkomazi, Mbombela, Dr JS Moroka, Emalahleni and Thembisile Hani.

The MOU is intended to create an enabling environment in support of the municipalities in order to accelerate the provision of bulk water and sanitation infrastructure.

Although the MOU does not take away any authoritative powers and responsibilities of the municipalities, it serves to bind the municipalities to cooperate with MEGA and the Department of Water Affairs in attaining the bulk supply of water to the communities.

The MOU will also enhance the capacity of the provincial government and municipalities to deliver the identified and agreed upon water infrastructure projects through capacity building and other necessary support by MEGA.

It will also help the municipalities learn the best practices from both MEGA and the Department of Water Affairs. Both MEGA and the Department of Water Affiars are expected to be involved in improving local government water infrastructure systems and other related services such as economic development and governance.

The signing of MOU follows the Premier’s pronouncement during the State of the Province Address and his visits to various municipalities to assess the water infrastructure and the challenges in delivering water to the people.

After noticing that some infrastructure was ageing and that in some instances the population had expanded, he subsequently tasked MEGA investigate possible solutions.

Speaking at a signing ceremony, Mabuza urged all parties to cooperate and ensure that people received water at the end.

“All of us are working for the people of this province, let us work very diligently and make sure that people do get water.
“It is high time that we work together and stop complaining about the problems we have inherited from the previous regime. We can no longer blame the past, whatever we inherited, belongs to us, and it is our problem today,” said Mabuza.

He said many people throughout the province mainly complained about water, and to date Mpumalanga province has recorded 124 service delivery protests where people demanded water.

According to the Premier, the demand for water was huge and that there would be possibilities to increase quotas in drawing water from the sources. He added that he hoped MEGA would engage the Department of Water Affairs and possibly review abstraction quotas of water.

He further urged the municipalities to “prioritise” their needs and not expect MEGA to solve all their problems. He added that focus however should be on areas with serious shortage of water.

“By the time I go back to the people to report back, there must be water on their taps because as politicians, we have been mandated by the people to resolve the issue of water, therefore we have no option but to deliver water,” said Mabuza.
He told the meeting regardless of being the first citizen in Mpumalanga, he was also directly affected by the problem as his family too in Mbombela accessed water for only an hour in three days.

“It looks like, if we are to take a step forward as a province to grow, we must be able to deal with problems related to water. This matter is so serious in such a way that it can either break or make us as a provincial government of the day.

“We have taken it upon ourselves as a province to deal with these problems, and with all the expertise we now have at our disposal, in the next coming few days, we must land at the right place and have these water problems solved,” concluded Mabuza.

MEGA is expected to visit all affected municipalities and enter into service level agreements regarding the detailed project plans.

Issued by Zibonele Mncwango
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Tel: (013) 766 – 2453
Mobile: 079 491 0163
E-mail: zmncwango@mpg.gov.za


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