Funding for drought interventions in the Ilembe District Municipality have dried up as a result of the persistent drought.

This has seen the reduction in the number of hired water tankers from 41 to 12 according to a report by IOL.

Mayor Welcome Mdabe says officials met with the Water and Sanitation Minister last month to discuss funding as drought intervention measures have depleted municipal funds, East Coast Radio reports.

Mdabe says hiring water tankers to supply affected areas has cost the municipality over R120-million since the beginning of the drought in 2014.

It will cost roughly R342-million to further augment the supply of water to areas in the iLembe District Municipality.

He says they’ve also put together a reviewed business plan including a budget proposal.

“We are planning to go to the public and have ward meetings to engage with them about the process so that everybody is fully aware of the challenge that is facing us.

“We are meeting with Umgeni, our technical team finance guys as well as Umgeni Water to make sure this project is complete so that the minister will then release funds when the report is completed,” he said.

–IOL, East Coast Radio