In an effort to ensure water availability in water-stressed areas of the Eastern Cape, the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu handed over 20 water trucks with a value of R26 million to various District Municipalities.

The handover ceremony held in Nahoon Dam in Eastern London was attended by Mayors of various municipalities in the province who are set to benefit from the water trucks. The Districts that are set to benefit from these water trucks include Joe Gqabi, Amathole, Alfred Ndzo, Chris Hani amongst others.

This is part of drought interventions by the Department through its entity, Amatola Water.

Handing over the water trucks, Minister Sisulu said the government made a conscious decision to rather buy water trucks as the most cost-effective and sustainable measure instead of renting them. In addition, she said water tankering is a short-term intervention by the Department while the government continues to roll out water infrastructure throughout the province.

“These water tankers we are handing over today will be used to fill-up water tanks that were distributed for COVID-19 to ensure that those tanks continue to be replenished for the benefit of the community. We have also created 44 job opportunities through the delivery of these water tankers. Poor people or rather indigents are not supposed to pay for water but those people who afford must pay. People are not supposed to generate profit from water because it’s a basic human right”, said Sisulu.

According to Amatola Water, an implement agent of the Department for the distribution of water trucks, they will be dispatched next week to the identified municipalities to start working.

Amatola Water Board Chairperson, Mncedisi Malotana says this rollout will not only benefit communities with water but it will also create opportunities for local people, adding that the drivers of the trucks will be sourced from areas where the trucks will be allocated.

Furthermore, Minister Sisulu reiterated that her department provides bulk water to municipalities and that municipalities are responsible to provide potable water for consumption.

However, she did indicate that as national government, they will continue to support municipalities faced with capacity challenges to ensure that communities are supplied with clean drinking water.

“I appeal to municipalities and communities at large to ensure that our water infrastructure and water trucks are protected and are in a safe place to avoid incidences of vandalism that have been experienced in some areas. These unfortunate incidences have cost us millions which we could have used to reach out to those who are still disadvantaged”, concluded Sisulu.