Staff Reporter
Deputy President David Mabuza will visit Kroonstad on Friday afternoon to assess the extent of pollution in the Vaal River System as well as other water and sanitation-related issues.
He will undertake the visit in his capacity as the chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Water and Sanitation.
A statement issued jointly by the Presidency and the Department of Water and Sanitation said the visit is aimed at, amongst others, addressing the structural and systematic challenges in the water value chain resulting in raw sewage flowing into streams, rivers and dams.
The IMC was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa as an institutional coordinating platform that brings together key players within the government to provide leadership and technical assistance towards the resolution of challenges in the provision of water and sanitation in the country.
The IMC is also designed to provide overall political leadership and oversight on the implementation of interventions to support the Emfuleni Local Municipality in resolving the Vaal River System pollution.
This will include coordinating collaborative efforts with provinces and municipalities that contribute to the pollution of the Vaal River System.
The deputy president is expected to visit the Kroonstad Waste Water Treatment Works and hold a stakeholder engagement at the Alan Rautenbach Hall.
He will be accompanied by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu and Premier Sisi Ntombela.