Water tankers gather at a low laying water hydrant in Riverlea, in Gauteng, to fill up.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has come out in support of the advice by the National Treasury that municipalities should not use water tankering as a long-term service delivery model, but rather as a temporary emergency intervention.
Responding to parliamentary questions from MK Party MP Visvin Reddy, Majodina said the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has initiated a range of interventions aimed at reducing long-term dependence on water tankering in affected communities.
"Whereas the constitutional responsibility for water services provision rests with the 144 municipalities designated as Water Services Authorities, DWS has resolved to play a more active coordinating and supportive role to accelerate access to basic water services.
"To this end, the department is implementing the Water Access Acceleration Programme for unserved communities, which gives effect to the President's commitment to prioritising access to water as a national imperative," she said.
