Minister Mchunu assures Big Five Hlabisa residents that government is working in earnest to restore water in the municipality

Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu has affirmed to the communities of Big Five Hlabisa municipality in uMkhanyakude District that work is progressing in earnest to ensure that water supply is restored to the residents of the municipality through the Section 63 intervention in the KwaZulu-Natal northern District.

Minister Mchunu made this undertaking during the community engagements that took place yesterday, 11 May 2023 at Mkhaliphi Stadium in eNhlwathi Village and Iholo la Makhosi in Hlabisa, as part of the two-day visit to two of the four municipalities in the district, the Big Five Hlabisa and Mtubatuba local municipalities, to assess progress of the refurbishment and upgrading of water schemes in order to restore, augment and expand water supply to communities that have been experiencing water challenges in the district.

Minister Mchunu said the communities of eDengeni, Mkhaliphi, Nhlwathi, Matshamhlophe in the Hlabisa will benefit from interlinked potable water schemes that will be connected to the trans-boundary Mandlakazi Regional Bulk Water Scheme once it is completed.

“Once the Mandlakazi Scheme pipeline that is dedicated to supply Hlabisa is complete and the current Mandlakazi Water Treatment Works has been expanded, it will connect in two areas, the Mthwadlana (to Matshamhlophe reservoir and Myaneni (Hlabisa reservoir) reservoirs. This will ensure sustainable and continuous water supply to these communities.

“In the meantime, together with the District Municipality, we are working hard to ensure that some of the existing pipes and valves are fixed and upgraded here in Nhlwathi, Mkhaliphi and Matshamhlophe. And through this process, some of the communities have started receiving water as we speak,” Minister Mchunu emphasised.

Minister Mchunu, together with Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala were joined by Traditional Leaders of the area Inkosi Mdletshe, Inkosi Gumede, uMkhanyakude District Mayor Cllr Sphile Mdaka, Hlabisa Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr C Khumalo, District and Local Municipal Exco, Mhlathuze Water and Departmental Officials during the engagement.

The two Ministerial community engagements are part of the two-day visit to Big Five Hlabisa and Mtubatuba local Municipalities on 11-12 May 2023, to assess the district’s state of water supply schemes that are meant to alleviate water challenges in the municipality. Minister Mchunu will also engage with the communities of Mtubatuba today, on the progress of water schemes that are being implemented in the municipality as part of the Section 63 intervention.

The Department of Water and Sanitation in February 2022 placed the District Municipality under Section 63 of the Water Services Act, which provides for the Minister to take over the management, operations and maintenance of the water and sanitation infrastructure from the Water Services Authority (WSA) in order to restore the dysfunctional services in the district.

The District Municipality has 4 local municipalities that includes Big Five Hlabisa, Mtubatuba, Jozini and Mhlabuyalingana.

Subsequent to the resolution, the Minister appointed Mhlathuze Water as an Implementing Agent of the directive in order to restore water services through various work packages and schemes that are implemented as part of the intervention in the district.

Among the water supply schemes intended to bring relief to the communities is the Hlabisa Water Supply Scheme which covers Hlabisa Local Municipality area, this Scheme is supplied with potable water from the Mandlakazi Water Treatment Works.

The Mandlakazi Water Treatment Works which is located in the Zululand District, and abstract Water from Jozini Dam (Pongolopoort Dam) is currently undergoing optimisation refurbishment and upgrades to increase its capacity of treating 30 megalitres a day to 60 megalitres per day.

The Municipality is also supplied by the Hluhluwe Water Supply Scheme, there are two Water Treatment Works whose water source is the Hluhluwe River downstream of the Hluhluwe dam.

Although some community members expressed discontent over unavailability of water during the community engagement, Minister Mchunu pleaded with them to exercise patience as the department and other stakeholders work around the clock to ensure that various water schemes are fully functional and assured that some of these schemes only required upgrade of existing pumps and valves in order to increase the volume of water that is being abstracted.

“Through togetherness and collective commitment by the various stakeholders including Inkosi Mdletshe, the District Municipality as the WSA, our Implementing Agent Mhlathuze Water and yourselves as the beneficiaries, potable water will be supplied to the communities for domestic use and enhancement of economic growth in the area”, Minister Mchunu stated.

Furthermore, Minister Mchunu called out the phenomenon of delivering basic services on the basis of political affiliation, highlighting that every citizen is entitled to receive services regardless of their political posture.

Source: Government of South Africa