News Desk Reporter
Thousands of residents in parts of KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, are expected to benefit from improved access to clean drinking water. The Department of Water and Sanitation has unveiled four newly completed boreholes aimed at improving water supply in the area.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina officially handed over the water schemes during a community event. The Minister described the project as another step towards improving basic services in areas that have gone years without a dependable water supply.
The R2 million initiative targets the communities of Vezubuhle, Gemsbok, Rhenosterfontein Farms and Engwenyameni. It forms part of government’s Unserved Communities Access Acceleration Programme, which focuses on bringing water to rural and historically neglected areas.
Developed with funding from the Rand Water Foundation, the project has now been transferred to the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality for management and operation.
Residents will no longer have to rely solely on water tankers or travel long distances to collect water. They will now have access to boreholes fitted with purification systems capable of producing safe drinking water. The installations are designed to operate independently, making them suitable for communities where conventional water infrastructure remains limited.
The project also includes 10 communal taps, six elevated storage tanks with a capacity of 10 000 litres each, six steel tank stands and a manhole. More than 1 600 people, including households, learners and local farmers, are expected to benefit from the improved water supply.
Majodina was joined by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, Mpumalanga MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Speed Katishi Mashilo, Rand Water Chairperson Ramateu Monyokolo, Rand Water Group Chief Executive Sipho Mosai and Rand Water Foundation Chairperson Lusanda Netshitenzhe during the handover.
The launch coincides with Mandela Month. It also forms part of government’s efforts to provide practical solutions while larger regional water infrastructure projects continue to be developed.
Mosai said the decentralised treatment units use the same water purification principles as Rand Water’s larger treatment plants, although on a much smaller scale. He added that all four systems had undergone water quality testing and met the required safety standards before being commissioned.
Addressing community members, Majodina said the handover represented more than the completion of a construction project.
“There could be no better way of honouring Madiba than ensuring that children spend more time in classrooms than searching for water. There could be no greater expression of service than restoring dignity to communities that have waited patiently for this basic necessity of life.
“Today is not simply about boreholes. Today is about hope. It is about dignity. It is about justice. It is about fulfilling a promise that the South African government made to the people.”
Majodina said that while long-term bulk water projects remain essential, many rural communities also need immediate interventions to provide relief while larger developments are under way.
“The programme therefore combines urgency with sustainability. It includes groundwater development through borehole drilling, the protection of natural springs, rainwater harvesting systems, rehabilitation of existing but non-functional infrastructure, and targeted extensions of local reticulation systems.
“These are practical interventions designed to reach communities that have too often remained on the margins of development,” she said.
The Minister also urged residents to protect the newly installed infrastructure from vandalism and theft, warning that damage places additional pressure on limited public resources.
“Every damaged pipeline forces government to spend scarce resources on repairs instead of expanding services to new communities. Ultimately, those who suffer most are the poorest households,” Majodina said.
The Minister thanked the Rand Water Foundation and Rand Water for supporting the initiative.
She said partnerships between government and public entities remain essential to expanding reliable water services across South Africa.