R205m set aside to address Mtubatuba water crisis

MINISTER of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu on Friday announced his department has budgeted R205-million to resolve Mtubatuba’s water challenges.

He was speaking at an imbizo in KwaMsane.

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The R205m will be used to refurbish the water treatment plant near the Mfolozi river to increase its capacity from treating 13 to 20 mega litres of water per day.

The minister said this refurbishment project should be completed by the end of August and that, once done, the following areas should see their water woes dry up: KwaMsane, kwaMshaya, oPhaphasi, Nkombose, Dukuduku, St Lucia and other wards.

The money will also be used to refurbish other plants and water schemes, including Hluhluwe dam and eMfekayi.

The minister said the ‘illegal abstraction’ of water will also be dealt with and urged residents who are doing this to come forward so they can be legally supplied with water.

He added that those who are found out by the department for illegally connecting will be prosecuted.

The minister said it was important that people note that this was not being done as a way of campaigning for next year’s elections but rather to ensure people are supplied with water, which is a constitutional right.

uMkhanyakude Mayor Siphile Mdaka said Zimelo has been appointed as contractor to the tune of R9.4-million to fix the plant near the Mfolozi river and install pipes from the plant to the kwaBhoboza reservoir.

Attendees at the imbizo also heard that R136-million has been set aside by DWS to address water challenges in Hlabisa.

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