Residents of KwaMhlanga and Moloto in Mpumalanga have been without running water for the past three weeks.

Approximately 30 000 residents in the two villages were plunged into a serious water crisis after the general elections because taps and water reservoirs had run dry, resulting in them having to fetch water from rivers.

The new Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Nonkonyane has now stepped in to intervene in the water crisis. A team from the minister’s office recently met with officials from the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality to find a long lasting solution. The two teams discussed temporary and long term measures to address the situation and agreed on urgent measures to remedy the situation in order to save lives in the area.

“If all goes according to plan water tankers will start rolling in in a matter of days while we are considering a long-term solution. As government we can’t fold our arms and stand by while our people don’t have access to water,” said Mokonyane.