Water and Sanitation Forums in the North West have gained traction as communities realise the importance of their effectiveness as platforms to articulate their grievances on service delivery.

This follows a call by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, for communities to establish the forums as a way of addressing grievances on the ground.

The forums are largely community-driven and they empower aggrieved residents to have a say on the management of water matters.

According to the department, no less than six forums have been formed in the past month in the Madibeng district, where there is a series of water related problems at various villages.

“The forums are modelled along the lines of Majakaneng Water and Sanitation Forum whose success in addressing water issues is overwhelming,” the department said in a statement.

Among the villages that have formed such forums are Jericho, Madidi, Mmakau, Wonderfontein/Nkaneng, Oskraal, Letlhabile and Maboloka.

Most of the villages were affected by violent protests on service delivery of water and sanitation.

Progress in Majakaneng

This week, Madibeng Executive Mayor Jostina Mothibe, together with her executive, visited Majakaneng to see the progress made since the government intervention to reticulate water in the area.

Prior to visiting the yards, Mayor Mothibe held a meeting with community members and local forum that receive water through the new pipes and jojo tanks.

At the beginning of the year the national and provincial governments have pumped millions of rands in Majakaneng to refurbish malfunctioning boreholes and to drill five new ones.

A total of 30 jojo tanks have been distributed in parts of the village where there is no reticulation. Also, a malfunctioning 10 megalitre water reservoir was fixed and it is now 98% full.

Meanwhile, the department has appointed Magalies Water as an implementing agent in the area and subsequently, over 1000 jobs have been created.

The completion of the water project is expected to be finished by the end of next month when almost every resident will have access to clean drinking water.

The Bojanala District Municipality has also come to the fore and they have installed a multi-million bulk supply pipe that will service the community of Mmakau.

The installation of the pipe and supply of water at Bojanala is also expected to be completed in about four weeks