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File: Tshwane Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya.
Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya, says the metro has set aside a budget of over R2 billion to capacitate water and power supply infrastructure.
Moya says they will prioritise areas like Hammanskraal where a number of projects are already taking place to build new pump stations to resolve water challenges in that area.
The metro has also announced plans to do away with privately operated water tankers after it was criticised for spending over R600 million on water tankers during the past financial year.
Residents of Hammanskraal have endured years of constant water supply challenges, with the city’s water tanker system failing to provide lasting relief.
Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya says the crisis is giving authorities sleepless nights. She addressed residents in Temba during consultations on the city’s draft budget.
“Solution for Harmanskraal has already started. The setbacks that we have suffered are the delays that have been encountered in the projects. The problem is the inconsistent supply of water that we are getting from Magalies Water. But module one and module 2, already those areas are getting safe water to drink. Then module 3 and module 4, we are told by Magalies that they have completed with the structural work. The part where we are waiting on is the pump stations that they are building that will help us to boost the supply into our reservoirs. But they then gave us 1 May as the date where they’re going to finish.”
Residents of Hammanskraal say they have lost hope that the area’s water supply challenges will ever be resolved, despite repeated promises from Moya.
“Most of the time they say they will, they will. But let’s hope so. But most of the time, they just talk. Most of the time, we don’t have water. But we hope they come with solution,” says one of the residents.
However, ward councilor Willie Kgopa says he’s optimistic that a solution to resolve the challenges of water supply is imminent.
“I believe that they’re doing their best to find water solution. I think there’s a lot of progress. In terms of giving the community water and all of us as a collective, we are making sure that we try to assist the community in terms of getting water,” says Kgopa.
Meanwhile, the the metro has also begun purchasing water tankers as part of its long- term solutions to the water problem. The mayor says the metro is spending millions of rands on privately operated water tankers which must come to an end.
“So, from the 1st of April, the tankers that are distributing here are owned by the City of Tshwane. 18 months ago, we didn’t have a single water tanker in the city. Now, we are standing at 41. And that is the intention behind us responding to what the residents were saying. The first prize is that they must get water in the taps. The second prize, if you’re not going to give us water, at least give us the city-owned tankers, and that’s what we are doing. But of course, not everyone is happy because you’re disrupting people’s lives in terms of … this was their business.”
However, residents say it remains to be seen if the mayor and the metro will stick to their promises this time around as they have failed to do so previously.
We have a huge infrastructure spending backlog in Tshwane, especially in townships including in Hammanskraal. For years, our spending on infrastructure has lagged behind the city’s population growth. Many capital projects, for roads and storm water, were cancelled by the previous… pic.twitter.com/HhpvzS1wBk
— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) April 18, 2026
