Waterverskaffing word nou gesentraliseer | Water supply now centralised
English to follow:
3 April 2020
Die Minister van Water en Sanitasie, Lindiwe Sisulu, het op 2 April 2020 aangekondig dat watertoewysing gesentraliseer sal word by ‘n Johannesburgse beheersentrum vir die duur van die COVID-19 inperking.
“Ons het al ons water geneem en dit onder een beheersentrum geplaas by Rand Water in Johannesburg waarvandaan alle versoeke wat water betref, sal kom,” sê Sisulu. In die geval van besproeiingsrade – hoofsaaklik boere en individue wat waterregte besit – sal daardie rade ook opdrag kry om water aan die regering beskikbaar te stel.
Agri SA het bevestig dat die aanstelling van Rand Water as implementeringsagent vir die verspreiding van water ‘n tydelike noodmaatreël is om die COVID-19 pandemie teë te werk vir so lank as wat die ramptoestand heers. Agri SA het verder bevestig dat die departement boek sal hou van al die betrokke kostes en dat besproeiingsrade sodanige koste sal kan terugeis.
Die departement sal alle nodige maatreëls tref om te verseker dat water wat aan verbruikers voorsien word, gesuiwer sal word volgens die vereiste gehaltestandaarde.
“Agri SA het onderneem om die departement van Water en Sanitasie tydens hierdie krisis te help. Ons besef die omvang van die krisis en dat water vir drinkdoeleindes belangriker is as ander behoeftes gedurende hierdie tyd,” sê Janse Rabie, die hoof van Agri SA se Sentrum vir Uitnemendheid: Natuurlike Hulpbronne. “Hierdie situasie word uiters noukeurig en professioneel deur die Minister en haar span hanteer. Ons het waardering vir haar leierskap in hierdie tyd en moedig ons lede aan om te verseker dat enige neem van water en die voorsiening daarvan in noue samewerking met die departement van Water en Sanitasie sal geskied.”
‘n Aantal boerderygebiede landswyd is reeds vir maande, en sommiges selfs jare, sonder water. Die regering is nou genoodsaak om spoedig watervoorsiening te verseker gegewe die behoefte aan konstante ontsmettingspraktyke om die verspreiding van COVID-19 te verhoed.
Die regering het gemeenskappe wat deur watertekorte geraak word, aangemoedig om 0800 200 200 te skakel.
Navrae:
Janse Rabie
Agri SA Hoof: Natuurlike Hulpbronne
Epos: janse@agrisa.co.za
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On 2 April 2020 water and sanitation minister, Lindiwe Sisulu announced the centralisation of water distribution through a Johannesburg-based command centre for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown.
“We have taken all our water and put it under one command centre, situated at Rand Water in Johannesburg, where all the commands around where water is concerned will be coming from,” Sisulu said. In the case of irrigation boards — in the main, farmers and individuals who own water rights — those boards will also be issued with directives to make water available to the government.
Agri SA has confirmed that the appointment of Rand Water as implementation agent concerning the distribution of water is a temporary emergency measure to combat the COVID-19 pandemic as long as the state of disaster persists. Agri SA also confirmed that the department will be keeping a record of all the costing involved and irrigation boards will be able to claim back for those costs.
The department will take the necessary measures to ensure that where untreated water is sourced for supply to users, water will be purified to the required quality standards.
“Agri SA has committed to assist the department of water and sanitation in dealing with the crisis. We appreciate the magnitude of the crisis and water for drinking and hygiene purposes supersedes other uses during this time” says Janse Rabie, Head of Agri SA’s Natural Resources Centre of Excellence.
“This situation is being dealt with by the Minister and her team with the utmost diligence and professionalism. We applaud her for her leadership in this crisis. We urge our members to ensure that any taking and supply of water is dealt with in close collaboration by the Department of Water and Sanitation”.
Several farming areas nationwide have been without water for months and some even for years. Government is now caught up in a rush to ensure safe water supply given the need for around-the-clock hygiene practices to avert a COVID-19 crisis.
The Government has urged communities in areas affected by water shortages to call 0800 200 200.
Enquiries:
Janse Rabie
Agri SA Head of Natural Resources
E-mail: janse@agrisa.co.za
