In a joint effort to tackle water scarcity plaguing rural communities, Eastern Cape rural development and agrarian reform MEC Nonkqubela Pieters and Chris Hani District Municipality executive mayor Lusanda Sizani have joined forces. Their collaborative initiative focuses on the swift deployment of cost-effective springwater projects across the province.
The partnership, unveiled during the official handover ceremony of a pivotal springwater project benefitting five villages near eNgcobo, highlights the innovative approach adopted by the department’s rural appropriation technology unit (Ratu).
Providing water accessibility
Pieters emphasised the programme’s efficiency.
“In this programme, we do not have a middleman and spend millions on contractors for something that will not be operational. We employ and train local people and, in that way, we create opportunities for people to fend for their families,” she said.
Sizani echoed Pieters’ sentiments, emphasising the importance of utilising natural resources to provide accessible water solutions, particularly for agricultural activities.
“We are a rural district, which is leaning towards the agricultural sector’s potential for growth, hence we are partnering with the department to bring water to the people for both consumption and agricultural activities. Through this programme we aim to achieve agriculture development prosperity,” Sizani said.
Pieters said under this collaboration, the district development model would facilitate seamless coordination between the department and the municipality to expedite the rollout of spring water projects across the Chris Hani district.
Growing businesses
“With over 250 natural springs identified for potential utilisation, the initiative aims to ensure clean drinking water reaches communities lacking access.
“The tangible impact of this partnership is evident, with the completion of numerous infrastructure projects bringing reliable water access to previously under-served rural areas. Through government investment, households, schools, clinics, and youth cooperatives have benefitted from the installation of over 757 water taps across 36 villages,” Pieters explained.
Local entrepreneurs like Viwe Gidimisani, a farmer from Manzana, seized the opportunity presented by the spring water projects to bolster their businesses.
“This will help my enterprise to grow more. It will give me strength to improve productivity of my business and I am happy that water supply is always available. In the past, we battled to get water but because of this water provision, I am now growing my enterprise,” he said.
Peters said as the collaboration between government agencies and local communities continued to yield positive outcomes, the Eastern Cape is moving closer to its goal of ensuring every citizen has access to clean water for sustenance and prosperity.
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