File
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Director Joseph Tsatsire says the Metro is looking at roping in the assistance of the South African National Defence Force in dealing with the growing water crisis in the city.
He was briefing the media online on Monday after construction work began this weekend on a number of communal water collection points across the city.
Tsatsire said there were various ways that the SANDF would be able to assist at these sites which are being built across the Metro with an initial budget of R6 million.
He said the presence of the SANDF will help ensure law and order and also in the distribution of water. "The second one is the provision of water trucks from the army base which we can use for replenishing and distributing of water to communities."
The SANDF had also played a role in assisting with water and other provisions during the KwaZulu Natal floods.
Meanwhile, the planned operational role of the National Department of Water and Sanitation in dealing with Nelson Mandela Bay's growing water crisis is set to be discussed at a special council meeting on Tuesday.
Mandela Bay Development Agency spokesperson, Luvuyo Bangazi, also pointed out that it’s the first time ever that the National Department of Water and Sanitation has intervened in the water affairs of any metro anywhere in the country.
"We were informed on Thursday by the representatives of the Minister that this process is unchartered,” he said.
Bangazi said the Council meeting will hear “the nature of the intervention and how the interface will work going forward with the national government office."
Day zero continues to loom large for Nelson Mandela Bay as its main supply dams teeter at just 12.07% of total combined capacity.
