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The Inkatha Freedom Party notes the desperate attempts by DA Councillor Andre Beetge to use the water crisis for cheap political point scoring. His latest press release attacking IFP Councillor Mdu Nkosi, who chairs the Trade Services Committee, comes immediately after the eThekwini Exco where a presentation was made by eThekwini Water and Sanitation and Umngeni/Uthukela Water on the current state of water management and projects.

The presentation included details of repairing and expanding infrastructure, as well as addressing historic lack of maintenance and repairs and natural disasters.

To provide some detail and clarity on the presentations made yesterday, the City’s bulk water supplier, uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) also presented a progress report to EXCO on the shutdown of the 53 pipeline to repair a section of the pipeline. The shutdown, which was implemented by UUW from 26 January, is necessary to relocate the pipeline while SANRAL upgrades the N3 freeway. Umngeni-uThukela Water has isolated the pipeline for repairs. The repairs are expected to be completed by 22 February. As a result, the eThekwini Municipality, has experienced reduced water volumes since the pipeline repairs project commenced.

The 41 areas that are affected by the shutdown of 53 pipeline and are experiencing water outages include Umbumbulu, Adams Mission, KwaXimba, Cato Ridge, Georgedale, Hammarsdale, Drummond, Cliffdale, Isithumba, Hillcrest, Kwanyuswa, Bothas Hill, Kloof, New Germany, KwaDabeka, Westmead, Tshelimnyama, Kwandengezi, Ntuzuma, Mzinyathi, Waterfall, Amaoti, Molweni, Zwelibomvu, Gillits and many others.

It is acknowledged that there is a water crisis facing our City which will take commitment, dedication, facing the real hard facts and finding working solutions to the existing problem. The repairs of water infrastructure will take time and interim solutions, including provision of water tankers, are in place to assist communities in need. It is expected that some of the water infrastructure repair projects will be completed by end February, but the repairs, maintenance and upgrading of our water infrastructure is an ongoing project to which I and my team are working on daily.

It is indeed disheartening when we are giving our everything to ensure that there is a stable and clean water supply for all eThekwini residents that a fellow Councillor stoops to the personal level.

eThekwini Mayor, Mayor Cyril Xaba, myself and my team have been visiting affected communities since December informing them of the challenges and progress made in water supply.

We are determined to find lasting solutions that will restore water supply and bring much needed relief to the people of eThekwini. We call on some Councillors in the DA to do the same instead of agitating communities by playing politics. We call on the DA in eThekwini to also support the budget, as they have never supported this, to ensure that we can target finances where it is so desperately needed.

Several interventions will be implemented to remedy the situation such as: Water rationing; Removal of illegal connections; Installation of water smart meters in reservoirs to monitor water levels; Expediting the meter replacement programme; Strengthening communication to achieve transparency and accountability; Installation of water restrictors to prevent excessive water losses; Fixing leaks to reduce water loss; and Monitoring of employees and contractors to be strengthened.

We will forge ahead with plans to restore water supply to affected communities and will not be distracted by political grandstanding and theatrics ahead of next year’s elections.

Issued by Mdu Nkosi