Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has told Parliament that her department is on top of South Africa’s water crisis.

“We want to assure the House that we have spent time putting together a response to our problem. The situation is dire but we have a plan,” Sisulu said during a debate on the State Of the Nation Address on Thursday.

Sisulu explained that there was a national water and sanitation master plan and that they were emboldened that they were in the right direction.

“It is intended to guide the water sector with investment planning over an initial period of 15 years and beyond,” she added.

She also said she was preparing the society to better manage water shortage and address dysfunctionality. Sisulu added that alongside taking master plan through necessary processes, they have put in place immediate interventions on drought relief to those areas that were affected.

“We extended support to municipalities that have been affected.”

She also added that the climate change which was compounded by the growing population and changing economic activities made planning for long term water management more difficult. The minister noted that her travelling to water scarcity hotspots developed appreciation of the extent to challenges in the water sector.

“We have found where communities come together as one to solve problems, we have had good successes. In areas where there was political opportunism and coupled with aggressive approach to business opportunities, we have had problems.” 

Sisulu also said her department had made progress in terms of issuing water licences within 90 days as opposed to three years.

“I have decided that we will establish a water licencing entity within the department to ensure we live to our promise and allow new entrants, especially black farmers, to have easier access to water rights.”