Providing new water infrastructure in the rural areas of Elundini (Implementation Phase)

The Joe Gqabi District Municipality (JGDM) is one of the six district municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Elundini local municipality is part of JGDM. This area is located in the foothills of the Southern/Eastern Drakensberg. Presently the residents get their water from springs, ponds and rivers. Many of these sources are used for washing and are sometimes shared with animals. This encompasses health concerns and thus has a negative impact on the productivity of the population. Of the total population of the District only 9.9 percent is connected to a drinking water system and of the remaining 91.1 percent 48 percent does not have access to clean drinking water in the current situation. Of the 206 villages in the rural areas of Elundini 107 villages do not have sustainable and safe water. This project will provide water infrastructure by boreholes or rainwater harvesting to communities of 107 villages. Next to water for households 90 schools and clinics will be connected to the water system. The project will not only ensure sustainable service delivery to these villages but will also ensure short and long term employment to beneficiary communities. In addition the training component of this project addresses the shortage of skilled labourers in the water sector (knowledge and experience of/in water infrastructure and maintenance). For each village a separate stand alone system will be built. This project also entails the operation and maintenance of the complete systems for a period of 10 years.