Northern Cape water and sanitation on a precipice
13 September 2023
The National Council of Provinces’ (NCOPs) recent two day oversight of the water and sanitation related infrastructure projects in the Northern Cape has exposed municipalities and water management institutions as being completely out of touch with reality, or of trying to cover up the truth.
The Mayor of Sol Plaatje municipality, Kagisho Sonyoni, presented a rosy picture of the city’s water, sewerage and related infrastructure, yet everyone living in Kimberley can attest to a city in crisis. He indicated that Sol Plaatje is winning the battle against sewerage and water leaks around Kimberley but on our way to the Riverton Water Purification Plant, the road was covered in water and it was evident that major leaks along the N12 are still not repaired.
Sol Plaatje also upgraded the Gogga Pump Station in this financial year to the tune of R20 million. That is the third upgrade since 2014 but sewerage is still not reaching the Gogga Pump Station because the Homevale Water Treatment Plant is not fully operational.
In Kgatelopele, millions of rands were spent on new wastewater ponds that were damaged by floods, whereby the municipality had to revert back to using the old ponds.
The same kind of problems are replicated across other municipalities.
Infrastructure at the Vaal Gamagara Regional Bulk Water Scheme is outdated. Its capacity is 34 million litres but it can only produce 16 million litres and it struggles to meet demand during peak times. This is a problem caused by years of ANC mismanagement and a lack of investment in the project.
The scheme supplies water to Dikgatlong, Tsantsabane, Gamagara and Joe Morolong municipalities. Many surrounding areas like Olifantshoek and Barkly-West are not receiving sufficient water, sometimes going days at a time without water. The bulk water scheme is also unable to meet its financial obligations and municipalities owe it more than R133 million. Municipalities also owe the Department of Water and Sanitation an amount of R325, 140 million in outstanding debt.
In addition to the above, there has been a significant increase in the number of Wastewater Treatment plants classified as critical, with a marked jump from 27 to 46. A total of 39 Water Treatment Plants are also in a critical state.
The situation is dire and cannot be taken lightly. During considerations of the NCOP, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that respective mayors and managers be hauled in front of the NCOP to explain their misrepresentations of the truth or to account for the critical state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the province.
Issued by Delmaine Christians, Member of the NCOP, DA, 13 September 2023
