With water shortages continuing to affect rural communities in Vhembe District, Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba convened a stakeholders' Water War Room (WWR) at the district municipal council on Friday, 26 September. The session is part of the provincial government's intervention to address persistent water challenges.
Premier Ramathuba said the province had had high hopes when the current administration had taken office in August 2024. "I personally told the people in the province that people will drink clean water. But 12 months down the line, people are not drinking water, which is frustrating. I now understand that I misled the people," she said.
"I trusted the executive mayor that we would work together to deliver water, but we are not. We want real answers from the PMT here in Vhembe," she added, noting that earlier meetings with the executive mayor, Speaker, and Chief Whip had failed to impress her. "We want proper reports, not what we hear in the morning."
She expressed concern over the lack of community mobilisation. "If we are coming here to resolve water woes, you will mobilise worried communities, but this is not happening. We are going to have weekly meetings at 7:00 am, logging our computers to resolve the water crisis and listening to water reports," Ramathuba said.
The WWR brings together key stakeholders, including the political management team, organised labour unions, traditional leadership, civil society, and other social partners. It aims to consolidate strategies, align resources, and accelerate sustainable water delivery.
"We are convening this WWR to collectively develop solutions that ensure our people have reliable access to water. Water is not only a basic service but a constitutional right and a matter of dignity. We hope this initiative will yield practical outcomes and restore hope to our people," the premier said.
Vhembe Executive Mayor Freda Nkondo acknowledged ongoing challenges but highlighted progress. "Some of the water projects are 100% completed, and we are handing over these projects to our communities. Meanwhile, we regularly monitor the progress and challenges in our funded projects," she said.