Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Tjaart van der Walt
The Xhariep pipeline project, aimed at securing the water supply to Mangaung and surrounding municipalities, has been revived by the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). A new Environmental Impact Assessment public participation process has been initiated by the DWS for this project after a previous controversial authorization for a similar project lapsed.
While water security for the Mangaung Metro is a critical matter that needs to be addressed holistically, the DA is concerned about the continued silo functioning of different stakeholders involved. From the public participation process and discussions with Mangaung management, the DA has ascertained that Mangaung is either unaware of or uninterested in the project by DWS. Additionally, Mangaung’s relationship with its water board, Vaal Central Water Board (VCW), is also strained. Despite concurrent attempts to review an outdated Service Level Agreement between Mangaung and VCW, which have remained unsuccessful for over 10 years, previous studies on the pipeline initiated by Mangaung have not been made available to DWS. Meanwhile, the council has not been involved in the project, which could have a massive effect on water tariffs and costs for Mangaung consumers for decades to come.
With an estimated price tag of R16 billion, DWS is unable to provide any clarity on the funding and tariff implications of this project. If this cost is fully amortized by Mangaung over 50 years, it could equate to a monthly cost of R26 million, which currently has a cash revenue of about R30 million from water and has paid an average of R26 million over the past 11 months.
Meanwhile, Mangaung’s water losses surpass 40%, above the national norm, translating to over R400 million per annum. The DA calls on Mangaung, VCW, and DWS to urgently agree on a shared vision and path to water sustainability
The DA will continue to hold all stakeholders accountable for the lack of an integrated governmental approach to water sustainability in Mangaung. It must be noted that mega projects such as these are poised for failure if their financial and political viability, feasibility, and alternatives are not fully taken into consideration before mass expenditure starts. It is crucial for the full iteration of the project to be agreed upon by DWS, VCW, and Mangaung stakeholders before the project can commence.
Stakeholders who want to comment, object or request information are urged to register as an Interested and Affected Party and/or submit comments or concerns online via a registration and comment form at: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/592a24050e154524b919d662e9a37b3e?portalUrl=https://geoverse.zutari.com/portal or email to xhariep@zutari.com before 4 July 2024.
Documentation on the project is available at:
The DA will call on the new minister of DWS to urgently intervene as soon as the new cabinet has been appointed.