Water affairs Minister Edna Molewa has pledged to give extra support to the iMbabazane Local Municipality to finish the expansion of the Loskop Treatment Plant within the next three months.

The project is expected to alleviate problems with water rationing in the areas around Mbabazane.

Molewa was addressing the Mbabazane community on Sunday. She spent the weekend visiting KwaZulu-Natal communities and water schemes, addressing water related issues.

Government has invested over R100 million to refurbish and expand the Loskop Treatment Plant. Molewa has now committed to send extra manpower from the Department of Water Affairs to assist the municipal staff for quicker completion of the project.

The minister also warned residents to avoid taking part in illegal water connections as it frustrates the scheme from functioning optimally. “If we have water supply meant for 200 residents and we have 100 more residents plugging into the system, naturally the water will no longer reach everybody as intended,” she says.