THEBE MABANGA|
GOVERNMENT is to set up two new agencies to oversee the critical areas of water supply infrastructure and land reform.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the formation of the two new entities as well as plans to work with the private sector to assist municipalities with the improvement in water provision.
The Water Resources Infrastructure Agency will presumably have oversight over bulk water infrastructure.
At the same time, the President announced that “progress is being made on several major water infrastructure projects. These include Phase 2A of the Mokolo and Crocodile River project, and the uMkhomazi Water Project.”
South Africa’s water supply is overseen by nine water boards who supply water through municipalities and roughly operate along provincial boundaries. For example, Gauteng is supplied by one of the country’s oldest water board, Rand Water, which also parts of Mpumalanga and North West.
Many water boards are beset with operational, technical and governance challenges.
During the outbreak of COVID-19, Rand Water took over the supply of water tanks to schools nationally as well as to distressed communities in the Eastern Cape.
Another critical area of focus for government is agrarian land reform.
“During the course of the next financial year, we will establish a Land and Agrarian Reform Agency to fast-track land reform.”
Ramaphosa announced without giving the location and mandate of the agency.
The president stated that government has so far redistributed over 5 million hectares of land, totalling around 5,500 farms, to more than 300,000 beneficiaries.
“This is in addition to the land restitution process, which has benefited over two million land claimants and resulted in the transfer of around 2.7 million hectares.”
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)