Premier Mabuza calls for speedy provision of bulk water by MEGA

25 June 2013

Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza has called on the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency [MEGA] to increase its pace of bulk water provision in the eight affected municipalities which are under the comprehensive rural development programme [CRDP].

Speaking at a meeting with CRDP municipalities and MEGA today [Tuesday, 25 June 2013] in Nelspruit, Premier Mabuza said he was not satisfied with the pace with regards to the implementation of bulk water supply by MEGA and the municipalities involved.

He said both MEGA and the affected municipalities needed to increase the pace in order to ensure that citizens received water by the end of the financial year.

“The time we are losing is precious, we need to finalise this matter as a matter of urgency by tightening all the loose ends and deliver water to the people. I hate the situation where we talk about how best we know the problem when in actual fact we are not dealing with it. Such conversation does not talk to progress,” said Mabuza.

The Premier was also not happy that two municipalities [Emalahleni and Mbombela] had not taken council resolutions to water provision as priority projects. The two municipalities, like others, they need to commit funding and enlist projects under integrated development plans.

“Municipal leaders need to understand that water problems could cost them their work if they are not careful enough. They should understand that we are dealing with a problem that is gravely affecting our people.

“They must understand that in the few months before the elections, things are going to be tough because people want and they need water. Let us be open and work as a team.

“I am warning my colleagues, those who are politicians that it is best to cooperate. What we are doing here is in the interest of our people out there,” said Mabuza.

The Premier suggested that the bulk water supply implementation should commence as early as July as compared to the proposed end of August.

He explained that he had taken this matter with Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding which saw Bushbuckridge Municipality receive R100 million towards water projects from the ministry.

According to the Premier, the Minister consequently appointed Rand Water to start work in the Bushbuckridge municipality and are expected to reticulate water from Inyaka Dam to the villages in the next few weeks.

He said the provincial department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs needed to come closer to the situation at Emalahleni Municipality as the Ministry of Water Affairs was also doing some work there in terms of bulk water provision.

“We understand that the problem there is too huge. It looks like the infrastructure is collapsing, we call on MEGA and the department to investigate the problem and work with the municipality in finding a lasting solution,” he said.

Giving the progress report on the implementation of bulk water supply, MEGA chief executive officer Advocate Boyce Mkhize explained that the memoranda of understanding had been signed between the provincial government and municipalities to formalise MEGA as the water implementing agency.

Advocate Mkhize added that technical reports and cost estimates had been compiled and MEGA had entered into service level agreements with municipalities where the parties agreed to the identified projects and the roles to be played.

“The addenda to the service level agreements were signed by MEGA and municipalities wherein municipalities committed to transfer their grant allocations and any other resources over a three-year medium term expenditure framework period to MEGA for the implementation of the identified water projects.

“We have submitted funding applications for all the projects to DBSA, ABSA and Standard Bank. All three institutions conducted due diligent studies on the projects and on the municipalities.

“All institutions seem to prefer a direct funding model to the municipalities concerned and not through MEGA,” said Advocate Mkhize.

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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