By Akani Nkuna
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has ascribed the current water crisis to mismanagement of water and the growing population,urging South Africans to use it sparingly.
Majodina was speaking in Parliament on Tuesday following the recent water challenges, which have seen the department implement water cuts in Johannesburg effective from Thursday.
“The supply of raw water is currently is in the balance, I want to assure South Africans that we have enough water. The balance with existing demand on a national scale, but there are localised deficits in the supply of water. Such as Gauteng, and some parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
“However, water availability in South Africa could deteriorate rapidly as supply contrasts and demand escalates due to economic growth, population growth, urbanisation, inefficient use including increasing physical losses in municipal distribution systems, degradation of wetlands and the impact of climate change as well as heatwaves,” she told MPs.
The department and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority were currently executing 40 major national water infrastructure projects, as outlined in the budget vote, including the Lesotho Highlands initiatives.
Majodina has warned that “there were limits to which South Africa can keep building dams. We can build dams up to a particular extent… broadening of South Africa’s water resources means is therefore critical for water security.”.
Majodina further emphasised the need to establish measures that would ensure a sustainable water supply for the future, saying it was imperative that government implemented demand reduction measures to prevent water shortages.
“South Africans need to change their behaviour and treat water like it is a scarce resource that we have. This means that municipalities must fix leaks in their water distribution systems. We cannot afford to be throwing away almost half of water that is supplied to communities,” she said.
South Africans exceed the recommended water consumption standard, utilising 218 litres per person per day, surpassing the recommended standard of 170 litres.
Meanwhile, ActionSA MP expressed worry about the poor standard of South Africa’s drinking water, attributing this to government incompetency.
“5O% of our drinking water fails safety standards and an additional 47% leaks away as non-revenue water due to crumbling infrastructure. These are signs of chronic government failures and absent leadership,” she said.
Malebo added that the persistent delays in critical bulk infrastructure projects, such the Lesotho Highlands Water project, underscored systematic inefficiencies and malfeasance, crippling businesses, public services and community development.
“We need high education institutions involved to spear innovation and research and produce young professionals for water sector careers,” said Malebo.
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