South Africa’s North West province Imposes water restrictions

Home » News » South Africa’s North West province Imposes water restrictions

The Department of Local Government and Human Settlements in the North West has requested municipalities to impose strict water restrictions and to focus their 2016/17 Municipal Infrastructure Grant funding to address water shortages in affected areas.

As most of the areas in the province continue to be ravaged by drought, the department said it continues to put measures in place to ensure that residents in drought stricken areas are not adversely affected.

“Through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, the department has coordinated critical departments such as Rural Environment and Agricultural Development, Water and Sanitation, Rural Development and Land Reform and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to provide short-term solutions, while working on finding a lasting solution to the drought situation in the province.

“Portable water and fodder has also been provided to communities and their livestock in affected areas. To date, 25 water tankers with a capacity of 18 000 litres have been allocated to the province and they have been distributed in Tswaing, Ramotshere Moiloa, Ratlou, Mahikeng, Kgetleng Rivier, Moses Kotane, Ventersdorp and Mamusa local municipalities,” said the MEC for Local Government and Human Settlements, Galaletsang Gaolaolwe.

Other municipalities that are adversely affected are Greater Taung, Mamusa, Kagisano-Molopo, Ratlou, Ramotshere Moiloa, Ditsobotla and Kgetleng-Rivier Local Municipalities.

Since the beginning of this year, 39 000 cases of livestock mortality have been reported in the province.

MEC Gaolaolwe cited dilapidated municipal water infrastructure as the cause for water leakages. She said environmental pollution from raw sewer discharge due to poor maintenance in Kgetleng Rivier, Ramotshere Moiloa, Mahikeng and Ditsobotla local municipalities are also some of the reasons that have aggravated the drought situation.