New initiative in Limpopo: Officials commit Fridays to resolving water challenges

Ward councillors, municipal managers, directors and mayors in Limpopo will from tomorrow onward have to leave their offices to spend the better part of every Friday attending to water problems.

They will be expected to assess progress made on water projects, address vandalism, fix water leaks and ensure communities have clean running water on their streets and in their yards every day.

ALSO READ: Thabazimbi municipality under threat of dissolution

Let’s drink water

The programme, which was launched by premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba, is called #HiNwaMatiFriday – meaning let’s drink water in Tsonga.

In her address to the National Council of Provinces in parliament in July, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina highlighted that her department would put more emphasis this financial year on investment in bulk water supply infrastructure projects.

It would also continue to assist municipalities with water reticulation to ensure that unserved communities receive the services they need, she added.

ALSO READ: SIU investigates OR Tambo Municipality over water supply contracts

“We have established a water partnerships office, in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the South African Local Government Association, to provide support to municipalities to establish partnerships with the private sector to develop these local water resource projects.”

Majodina said Ramathuba said the #HiNwaMatiFriday programme was in line with the minister’s message and in response to calls by residents for the provincial government to speedily provide water to the people of Limpopo.