THE Zululand District Municipality (ZDM) is to spend more than R36-million to upgrade water supply projects in the eDumbe Local Municipality during the 2013/14 financial year.
ZDM mayor, Cllr Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi, announced the project during the municipality’s 2013 Integrated Development Programme road show at the Mangosuthu Sports Grounds at eDumbe.
Addressing more than 6 000 people, KaMagwaza-Msibi acknowledged water supply challenges in areas under the district municipality jurisdiction.
Recently schools were closed at Nongoma because of water shortages.
The mayor said some residents were to blame for the problem.
‘When our district started to distribute water, I went to Cape Town and requested the then Water Affairs Minister Prof Kader Asmal for Zululand residents not to pay for water because most of our people are poor.
‘Now that water is available free of charge, some of our residents abuse the privilege. ‘They use clean and treated water to run their car wash businesses and others are watering their vegetable gardens with water destined for household purposes.
‘I appeal to all of you to treat water as an important commodity and to save it because most of the areas under this district are affected by drought,’ KaMagwaza-Msibi said.
She said for eDumbe to have sufficient water supply more than R100-million was needed per annum.
Included in the projects for the 2013/14 year are the building of reservoirs and dams.
