The North West provincial government says it has reached an agreement with Eskom for the exemption of water treatment plants from load shedding.
The agreement is expected to alleviate water shortages that have forced people to riot and take to the streets in areas such as Zeerust, Vryburg, and Taung have taken to the streets in demand of water.
Cooperative governance MEC, Nono Maloyi, said the agreement with the power utility is meant to improve the water supply which is currently hampered by constant electricity outages.
Maloyi took part in the debate on Premier Bushy Maape’s State of the Province Address at the legislature in Mahikeng. He said municipalities are expected to apply to Eskom for their water treatment facilities to be exempted from load shedding.
“As a result of load shedding our people are now crying for water. This is because without electricity power pumps cannot pump, water reservoirs will never be full, and when the reservoirs are not full our people will not have water. The Premier and I have engaged with Eskom and we have told Eskom that we want it to interact with all the municipalities in the North West. And they must assist those municipalities.
“I am happy to announce that they have done that. Now, our water treatment plans are now going to be exempted from load shedding. It means the problem of water will be partly resolved in the North West. I will be engaging with all the District Municipalities to ensure that those who did not comply do comply with all the requirements of the applications,” Maloyi said.
