Central SA
Water Minister heads to FS amidst service delivery concerns─── KATLEHO MORAPELA 12:12 Mon, 23 Aug 2021
The water crisis experienced by Free State residents will this week once again come under scrutiny.
This, as the new Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, is expected to embark on an oversight visit to the province.
Mchunu was appointed as the Head of the Department two weeks ago when President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet. He is expected to engage several municipalities, water boards, and provincial leaders. The financially troubled Mangaung Metro Municipality, Matjhabeng and Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipalities are amongst those expected to be in the spotlight during his visit.
The three municipalities are listed in the Auditor-General's report as amongst those incurring high irregular expenditure despite the lack of service delivery. Mchunu’s two-day visit will also come amidst growing tension over poor service delivery in the province, with organisers of the Mangaung Shutdown planning to take to the streets on Tuesday to protest against poor service delivery.
The departmental spokesperson in the Free State, Larry Crisp, confirms Mchunu’s engagement will include the Bloem Water and Sedibeng Water Boards to assess challenges encountered by the boards in delivering water projects.
OFM News