Western Cape Cabinet receives security briefing from SAPS; takes resolution on water crisis funding

24 January 2018

In a meeting this morning, the Western Cape cabinet received a security briefing from the South African Police Service (SAPS) on their plans to secure the province in the event of day zero.
Led by Major General Khombinkosi Jula, the SAPS presented a strategy that included the deployment of forces at the various Points of Distribution (POD) across the metro, regular patrols, escorting of water resources to critical points where necessary, and 24 hour monitoring of crime hotspots.

SAPS briefed cabinet on how the SANDF, Military Police, Law Enforcement and Traffic officers will provide additional support. General Jula informed the provincial cabinet that a Joint Operations Centre (JoC) would be activated in order to coordinate all security efforts. The police will also have representation in all high level disaster management meetings.

The SAPS have undertaken to work very closely with the provincial cabinet and the provincial disaster management centre.

General Jula will also provide Premier Helen Zille and the cabinet with regular updates in the lead up to day zero, as the need arises.

Cabinet Resolutions

Meanwhile the cabinet took critical resolutions relating to the water crisis:

Cabinet resolved to take whatever steps are necessary to recover the money from the national government to cover the cost of the current water crisis interventions. The provision of bulk water supply is a national government mandate. Where water supply has to be increased in emergency circumstances by the province or the city, it amounts to an unfunded emergency mandate, for which the costs have to be recovered.

Cabinet resolved that while it is a provincial competence to manage provincial disasters, bulk water supply is a national competency of the Department of Water & Sanitation, according to the Constitution and the National Water Act.

Cabinet also resolved to assist the City of Cape Town to recover the money that it spends to increase bulk water supply in support of the management of the disaster.

Cabinet resolved that managing the disaster must - of necessity - involve increasing bulk water supply, which the Western Cape Government will have to commission in the short term.

"While the Western Cape Government continues to coordinate the current disaster, we can still avoid day zero if everyone remains within the limit of 50 litres per person per day. Save water like your life depends on it, because it does," said Premier Zille.

Issued by Michael Mpofu, Spokesperson for Premier Helen Zille, 24 January 2018