R5 billion injection to solve Vhembe’s water crisis
Mayor Dowelani Nenguda said he was confident that water and sanitation challenges in his district municipality will be overcome as they plan to fast-track the provision of bulk water supply.
LIMPOPO – Plans are underway for the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) to resolve the persisting water crisis after receiving an injection of R5b from the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) for five years, as part of its integrated municipal approach anchored in the Partner-a-District Programme aimed at infrastructure development.
The municipality forms part of only eight district municipalities across the country who were admitted into the five-year programme for infrastructure planning and investment, specifically with regard to bulk water and sanitation projects, roads, transport and electricity by the DBSA. The agreement was announced in Polokwane on August 3.
Speaking at the Vhembe District 2023/24 IDP representative forum launch on August 11 in the VDM council chambers, Mayor Dowelani Nenguda said he was confident that challenges pertaining to water and sanitation in his district municipality will be overcome as they plan to fast-track the provision of bulk water supply.
He advised communities to waste no time in reporting all forms of illegal water connections and burst pipelines in order for the Rapid Response Team (RRT) to do repairs.
The MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu applauded the bank’s multi-billion rand Partner-a-District Programme.
The head of local government at the bank, Chucheka Mhlongo, presented the DBSA’s ground-breaking financial and non-financial integrated support programme to the MEC, Nenguda and the mayors from Makhado, Thulamela, Musina and Collins Chabane.
“We are proud of the efforts made by the district to be considered for this important programme. It is a monumental initiative that will change the face of the Vhembe area for the better and improve the lives of our people,” the MEC remarked. He said the initiatives will see a DBSA team, working with CoGHSTA and the municipalities to ensure challenges in the area are identified.
“The execution plan will drive direct financial support towards infrastructure development, while broad integrated development support and institutional capacity building will be made available to the district in partnership with public and private sector stakeholders.
“I want to encourage our mayors and municipal managers to wholly welcome the DBSA team when they arrive and work with them in formulating thorough plans for next five years in order for the necessary financial and non-financial support to be provisioned for the district,” added Makamu.
The initiative also aims to absorb 100 unemployed graduates and 50 SMME’s to receive digital skill training.
