The Gauteng provincial government says the recent unrest in Ratanda has highlighted the need for stronger municipal governance as it works with Rand Water and other stakeholders on a long-term solution to Lesedi's water and financial challenges.
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The Gauteng provincial government says it will use lessons from the recent unrest in Ratanda, Lesedi Local Municipality, to strengthen service delivery, following violent protests over prolonged water shortages that left two people dead and the mayor's home allegedly set alight.
The provincial government also announced that residents of Lesedi Local Municipality will continue receiving uninterrupted water after reaching an agreement with Rand Water to suspend planned water supply reductions while a long-term solution is implemented.
The announcement follows days of violent protests over water shortages, during which two people died, and the home of Lesedi Local Municipality mayor Mluleki Nkosi was allegedly torched.
Last week, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said water had been partially restored to Ratanda, with supply returning to most parts of the community.
He said residents in higher-lying areas would have to wait another day or two for water to be fully restored because it takes longer for reservoirs serving those communities to refill.
Nkosi said water tankers had been deployed to affected areas to ensure residents continued to receive water safely.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng provincial government welcomed the outcome of a high-level intergovernmental meeting convened to address the municipality's water supply challenges.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Gauteng provincial government, the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water, Lesedi Local Municipality and other key stakeholders.
Provincial government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the meeting focused on finding a sustainable solution to the municipality's outstanding water debt while ensuring residents continue to receive an uninterrupted water supply.
“The parties agreed that the immediate priority is to safeguard water services for communities while implementing a practical financial recovery plan that addresses the municipality's historical debt and strengthens its long-term financial sustainability," Mhlanga said.
He said as part of the agreement, Rand Water's previously implemented 20% reduction in water supply will remain suspended while the recovery process is under way.
Mhlanga said the decision would provide relief to residents and businesses while technical work continues.
He said a multi-disciplinary technical team had been established, comprising officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water, Lesedi Local Municipality, the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the Office of the Premier and Gauteng Provincial Treasury.
The team has been given seven days to develop a comprehensive financial and operational recovery plan.
"The report will assess the municipality's financial position, revenue collection systems, water losses, infrastructure, metering and telemetry, as well as sustainable options for repaying historical debt while maintaining reliable water services," Mhlanga said.
He said all parties acknowledged the municipality's financial difficulties and agreed to focus on practical, sustainable solutions rather than revisiting matters already agreed upon.
According to Mhlanga, the municipality attributed its financial challenges to declining revenue following reduced industrial activity, poor revenue collection, increasing numbers of indigent households and rising operational costs.
He said the municipality had already introduced measures to improve revenue collection, contain costs, strengthen water demand management and stimulate local economic development.
Mhlanga said Rand Water reaffirmed its commitment to working with government while stressing the importance of maintaining the long-term financial sustainability of the bulk water supply system serving Gauteng and surrounding areas.
He added that stakeholders also expressed concern over the recent violence and damage to property linked to the water disruptions.
"They condemned criminal acts and appealed to residents to raise their concerns peacefully while government works to resolve the challenges," he said.
Mhlanga said lessons from the Lesedi intervention would be used to strengthen financial sustainability and improve service delivery in other municipalities facing similar challenges.
On Saturday, Gauteng police confirmed the arrest of 15 people on charges of public violence following days of unrest over water and electricity shortages.
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