WELCOME MESSAGE TO TERTIARY STUDENTS FROM THE MAYOR
On behalf of Makana Municipality and all its residents, I welcome you and wish you the best during your stay here. Like most cities in our country, Makana Local Municipality is experiencing one of the worst droughts in history. This results in low dam levels and the town is experiencing a water crisis. Notwithstanding this reality, there will be no Day Zero in our city. Several organisations representing the residents of Makhanda and representatives from government have come together and developed a Water Crisis Disaster Management Plan. A Water Crisis Joint Operation Committee (WCJOC) has also been established to implement this comprehensive plan.
I would like to assure all citizens of Makana Municipality that we have taken all the necessary steps to address the situation.
In the short term, we are going to extract underground water from the boreholes. We will also a create water treatment facility to treat the borehole water for consumption.
Our engineers are currently reconfiguring the water systems to ensure water from the eastern supply can be shared with the western part of our city. We have also put aside funds to fix water leaks.
In the medium to long term we have secured funds to upgrade the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works to enable it to double its capacity from 10 megalitres to 20ML of water per day. Once completed, in two years’ time, this facility will permanently resolve our water crisis. While all these plans are being implemented, I appeal to each and every one of you to do your part and save water.
We also endeavour to do all in our power to tackle other pressing challenges such as littering, illegal dumping and potholes. Working together as one, we can overcome these challenges.
For detailed water supply information please visit http://www.makana.gov.za/water-crisis/ and our Facebook page – Makana Local Municipality Communication and @Makanawater on Twitter
Feel free to visit our offices and enjoy all that this city has to offer.
Mzukisi Mpahlwa
Executive Mayor
Makana Local Municipality
