While there are some communities struggling with water supply or shortage thereof, like the community of eNgcobo in the Eastern Cape, who are forced to drink from a stream with livestock, communities in KZN, might see a breakthrough in the next few years, if all goes according to what was presented at a recent meeting this week.
On the 03rd October 2023, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, with Mayor of eThekwini, Thomas Kaunda, provided a progress report regarding water supply to eThekwini, uMgungundlovu, iLembe, uGu and the Harry Gwala District Municipality.
Mchunu said eThekwini Metro and uMngeni-uThukela, had agreed on an immediate target of 10 wastewater infrastructure plans for refurbishment, operation and maintenance.
He also said other interventions are the Vulindlela Water Scheme, under construction in the uMgungundlovu District, scheduled to supply 350,000 people with water.
The Spring Grove Water Treatment Plant, in Rosetta and Bruntville Reservoirs, in Mooi River, have also been commissioned to benefit 1,329 homes.
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province is not as water scarce as the rest of the country, enjoying rainfall that exceeds South Africa’s average of 450mm a year.
The global average rainfall measured by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) back in 2020, was measured at 1168mm.
Columbia had the most rainfall 3,240 mm.
KZN has a sub-tropical climate along the coast.
The Human Rights Commission conducted an inquiry over 5 days, last August 2022 in KZN.
Members of the community were consulted, as well as non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) and various institutions and observed media reports where most Municipalities responded inadequately complaints pertaining to water challenges.
The Commission found that the right to access water was infringed, and concluded that the issue is complex and systemic in nature. Reasons are due to challenges experienced by Municipalities, including years of neglect, lack of proper planning, lack of accountability and leadership. The report also attributed challenges to lack of communication between Municipalities and communities.
The enquiry also mentioned illegal connections as having a large impact on water delivery.
The Commission also reported that it has received over 600 complaints regarding access to water in all District Municipalities in the KZN Province. Most complaints come from the Ugu, eThekwini and uThukela Districts.
According to the Borges Project, more than three million people in South African do not have access to basic water supply.
According to Greenpeace, 19% of the rural population lacks access to reliable water supply and 33 percent do not have basic sanitation services.
“About 26 percent of all schools (urban or rural), and 45 percent of clinics, have no water access either.”
Picture: Center for Environmental Rights