Mashatile says plans afoot to end ‘water tanker mafia’

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says municipalities will purchase water tankers in areas where they are needed, in an effort to deal with the so-called ‘water tanker mafia’.
Mashatile is answering oral questions in the National Assembly.
As the chairperson of the Water Task Team, Mashatile told MPs that various interventions have been introduced specifically in Gauteng to address water supply issues.
These include the commissioning of the Brixton reservoir and the insourcing of water tankers. While more long-term stability is expected from a 20-million-litre Cotswold reservoir and expanded Rand Water capacity.
Mashatile says, “We have said to them, we want to empower them to deal with the water tanker mafia. What the government is going to do is to buy the trucks, the insourcing you’re talking about, so we will insource so that its government that has the capacity to supply”.
Mashatile added that municipalities will be required to ringfence water revenue.
“Let’s take the example of Johannesburg Water, it will get R60 billion from water, then it becomes a good revenue base to use for other things. We are saying a sizeable chunk of revenue from water must go to water infrastructure and maintenance of water infrastructure”.
Video: Deputy President Paul Mashatile answers oral questions in the National Assembly

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