Cape Town — President Cyril Ramaphosa conceded that access to drinking water remains one of the biggest challenges many communities face throughout the country.
Ramaphosa was replying to the MPs debate on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) where he touched on the issues the country has faced and overcome since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
According to SABC News, Ramapohsa highlighted access to clean water as a major problem but noted that government’s new infrastructure projects have made it possible to bring piped water to impoverished communities.
“Access to clean running water is one of the biggest challenges that many of our people face wherever one goes through the length and the breath of the country, you find people who raised the issue of water.”
#Ramaphosa South Africa is a water scarce country that is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Major construction of bulk water infrastructure is underway across the country. #SONAReply #SONAdebate #SONA2024
— ANC Parliament (@ANCParliament) February 15, 2024
“We have made water infrastructure progress, we have focused on in the past few years, are bringing piped water to villages that have always relied on streams, rivers and boreholes,” Ramaphosa added.
Among the other issues highlighted during Ramaphosa’s response included improving the agricultural sector, creating more job opportunities, improving rail infrastructure, introducing more than 120 new private energy products, and making strides to tackle corruption, as well as the way the Social Relief Distress (SRD) grant helped millions of people.
“We have seen the evidence of the impact of social grants on reducing poverty over 30 years. We have sustained these grants over the last five years and have introduced the special SRD grant to support around nine million unemployed people.”
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
