Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu in Mpumalanga. Picture: Water and Sanitation department/Twitter
Communities hard hit by water shortages in the Vhembe district and Musina local municipalities in Limpopo have signed of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which could turn drought-stricken Musina into an area where water is plentiful by 2026.
The signing last week of the MOU between South Africa and Zimbabwe was led by Senzo Mchunu, minister of water and sanitation, and Anxious Jongwe, representing Zimbabwe’s ministry of lands, agriculture, water and rural resettlement.
The process is expected to alleviate the protracted water crisis in Musina, Nancefield township and surrounding villages.
More than 132 000 people residing in 192 villages in and around the mining town of Musina are expected to get water supply of about 15 million cubic meters of treated water per day from the project.
The water would come from Beitbridge to Musina through a 20km pipeline and the project is expected to yield positive results by 2026.
Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa recently signed a MOU to share water during a drought.
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The four countries are members of the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (Limcom), an organisation established to manage shared water resources.
The water supply between the countries builds upon the 2015 bilateral cooperation agreement on water resource management and the establishment of the joint water commission.
At the time, former executive mayor Dowelani Nenguda had a lot in his hands after the infrastructure supplying water from Nandoni Dam to four hospitals, Tshilidzini, Donald Fraser, Louis Trichardt and Malamulele, was cut off by angry communities in Mapitas, Phiphidi and Duthuni during a week-long, volatile protest over water.
Another community in Musina closed the busy N1 road leading to the Beitbridge border post.
They burnt objects and blocked road with rocks, tyres and logs of wood.
The residents accused the district of failing to provide clean running water for their household needs.
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Spokesperson for the Musina local municipality, Wilson Dzebu, said the council welcomed the bilateral water deal between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
“This came at the right time when we are facing a serious water shortage and continuous water supply interruptions due to aged infrastructure,” said Dzebu.
Mchunu said his department would work alongside the Vhembe district municipality and the water services in addressing the Musina challenges with the existing infrastructure.
“With the transfer of water from the Beitbridge water treatment works, we are looking at operationalising the nonfunctioning boreholes in Musina,” he said.
“I can assure you, the challenges of water supply in Musina will soon be a thing of the past because when complete, water supply will be more than the demand.”
The Vhembe district municipality, which administers the water authority in the region and is responsible for potable and bulk water supply, was equally ecstatic about the deal.
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“This project will increase the amount of water supply to Musina town,” said spokesperson Matodzi Ralushai.
“It will also assist the new economic development of the Musina-Makhado special economic zones.”
But others expressed doubt.
“Mchunu came here during the strike last year and promised us heaven and earth,” said one resident in Sibasa, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
“We are yet to see if he will keep all the promises he made.
“But as for me, this is just an electioneering stunt by the government to garner much-needed votes for the ANC ahead of elections.”
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