Gauteng and Free State to Face 6-Month Water Interruption

• Residents of Gauteng and the Free State will deal with six-month water interruptions while maintenance commences at the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel
• The scheduled work is reportedly vital to protect the structural integrity of the water tunnel systems
• The SA government said it's working on plans to ensure a reliable water supply throughout the next six months

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years. Do you have a political story you would like to share? Email zingisa.chirwa@briefly.co.za with CA in the subject line.

Parts of South Africa could be without water for about six months while maintenance begins at the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel.

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Six-month water shutdown to start in late 2024

According to EWN, the maintenance, a collaboration between SA and Lesotho, was scheduled to start on 1 October 2024 and continue until 31 March 2025.

The work on the 37-kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel would result in water interruptions in Gauteng and the Free State.

The maintenance, according to BusinessTech, was critical to safeguarding the integrity of the water tunnel systems.

The government, through the Water and Sanitation Department, was reportedly developing plans to ensure a water supply throughout the six months.

Netizens react to scheduled water interruption

Many South Africans were not pleased with the scheduled maintenance and water interruptions.

Thabo Makwakwa

“If it's not load shedding it's water crisis.”

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Ntombikayise

“We know our new world order leaders are following WEF mandate, but after elections, all this doti will change.”

Thee Maverick Aquarian

“The making of dystopian society. Globalists have a trusted soldier on Ramaphosa to deliver the country and everything to their table.”

Mufamaḓi Magoba Mashau

“It's just simply means the one who is having tender of distributing water by his or her trucks still going to eat for a long while residents are suffering.”

1Noksman

“And in actual fact is 2 months as Gauteng will very soon be under new capable and caring leadership.”

Only 46% of the water in South Africa is drinkable

In similar news, Briefly News reported that the Blue and No Drop Water Reports found that the country's water quality decreased.

The study states that most of South Africa's wastewater treatment works are at risk of producing contaminated water.

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The report further stated that only 46% of the water in the country is fit for consumption.

Source: Briefly News