South Africa: Seitlholo Visits Kai !garib Municipality Over Water and Sanitation Challenges

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo will on Friday undertake a working visit to the Kai !Garib Local Municipality in the Northern Cape to engage municipal leadership on critical water and sanitation challenges affecting communities in the area.

The visit follows the latest Blue and Green Drop regulatory assessments, which indicate that water and sanitation services within the municipality have regressed to a critical state.

Among the key issues to be discussed are the municipality's debt obligations to the Vaal-Orange Catchment Management Agency (VOCMA) and Water User Associations (WUAs) in the Northern Cape.

According to the Department of Water and Sanitation's 2026/2027 Budget Vote recently tabled in Parliament, municipalities across South Africa owed approximately R23 billion to Water Boards and Water User Associations as of 31 March 2026. In response, the department has committed to intensify support interventions in the worst performing municipalities.

The Ministry has also initiated coordinated engagements with Premiers, MECs responsible for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), and mayors across the country to improve payment compliance and service delivery.

Communities within the Kai !Garib Municipality continue to experience frequent water supply interruptions and challenges relating to drinking water quality. To address these concerns, the Department of Water and Sanitation has commenced a feasibility study for the proposed Kakamas Bulk Water Supply Project.

The project is expected to improve access to fresh water supply in Kakamas town and surrounding areas, including Alheit, Marchand, Augrabies, Lutzburg, Cillie, Riemvasmaak, as well as nearby commercial farming communities.

During the visit, the Deputy Minister will also engage the municipality on measures to address contamination of watercourses due to poor wastewater systems. The ongoing malfunctioning of sewage infrastructure has resulted in continuous sewage overflows from manholes, pump stations, stormwater systems, and oxidation ponds in areas such as Kakamas, Keimoes, Kenhardt and Vredesvallei.

Read the original article on SAnews.gov.za.