By Levy Masiteng
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has announced an emergency relief allocation of R20 million for the Knysna Municipality, as part of urgent interventions to address the town’s intensifying water crisis.
The announcement follows Majodina’s two-day working visit to Knysna Municipality, in the Garden Route District, where she assessed the extent of the water challenges and met with local stakeholders.
During the visit, Majodina, alongside Knysna Executive Mayor Thando Matika and officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), conducted inspections at key water infrastructure sites, including the Akkerkloof Dam, Karatara River and several municipal boreholes.
In a statement, Majodina said the Akkerkloof Dam, the municipality’s primary storage facility, is about 16% full, translating to an estimated 13 days of usable water at current consumption levels.
According to the department, the crisis has been worsened by a severe localised drought, ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure, high water losses through leaks, and ongoing vandalism.
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“The situation constitutes a serious water security crisis and warrants immediate and collective action,” Majodina said during engagements with stakeholders
The R20 million emergency allocation, reprioritised from water services infrastructure grants, will be used primarily to develop and revive groundwater resources, easing pressure on surface water supplies.
In addition, DWS said it will deploy technical engineering expertise to assess and refurbish the Knysna desalination plant, with the aim of boosting water supply capacity.
Majodina also said her department is supporting the municipality with improved water resources planning and has already funded feasibility studies for a new small local dam to meet Knysna’s longer-term water needs.
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She told the municipality to urgently reduce water leaks, install functional water meters, and address vandalism.
“The municipality must prioritise fixing leaks and managing demand. These are major contributors to the current crisis,” Majodina said.
She asked the Western Cape Provincial Government to declare Knysna a disaster area, a move that would allow for the reprioritisation of resources and a more coordinated, comprehensive response to the crisis.
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